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Tafel paepste
Plaque commemorating the popes buried in St. Peter's Basilica (their names in Latin and the year of their burial)

This chronological list of popes of the Catholic Church corresponds to that given in the Annuario Pontificio under the heading "I Sommi Pontefici Romani" (The Roman Supreme Pontiffs), excluding those that are explicitly indicated as antipopes. Published every year by the Roman Curia, the Annuario Pontificio no longer identifies popes by regnal number, stating that it is impossible to decide which pope represented the legitimate succession at various times. The 2001 edition of the Annuario Pontificio introduced "almost 200 corrections to its existing biographies of the popes, from St Peter to John Paul II". The corrections concerned dates, especially in the first two centuries, birthplaces and the family name of one pope.

The term pope (Latin: papa, lit.'father') is used in several churches to denote their high spiritual leaders (for example Coptic pope). This title in English usage usually refers to the head of the Catholic Church. The Catholic pope uses various titles by tradition, including Summus Pontifex, Pontifex Maximus, and Servus servorum Dei. Each title has been added by unique historical events and unlike other papal prerogatives, is not incapable of modification.

Hermannus Contractus may have been the first historian to number the popes continuously. His list ends in 1049 with Leo IX as number 154. Several changes were made to the list during the 20th century. Christopher was considered a legitimate pope for a long time but was removed due to how he obtained the papacy. Pope-elect Stephen was listed as Stephen II until the 1961 edition, when his name was removed. The decisions of the Council of Pisa (1409) were reversed in 1963 in a reinterpretation of the Western Schism, extending Gregory XII's pontificate to 1415 and classifying rival claimants Alexander V and John XXIII as antipopes.

A significant number of these popes have been recognized as saints, including 48 out of the first 50 consecutive popes, and others are in the sainthood process. Of the first 31 popes, 28 died as martyrs.

Chronological list of popes

1st millennium

1st century

Popes of the 1st century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
1 30–33 / 64–68 Pope-peter pprubens.jpg St Peter
PETRVS
Shimon Bar Yonah c. 1 Bethsaida, Judaea, Roman Empire 29–32 / 62–67 Born as Shimon Bar Yonah, a Jew from Judaea. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Apostle of Jesus. According to Catholic tradition he received the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:18–19). Feast day (Feast of Saints Peter and Paul) 29 June. The Catholic Church recognizes him as the first Bishop of Rome appointed by Christ, and therefore the first pope. Also revered as saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 29 June. St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is named after him.
2 64–68 / 76–79 Menologion of Basil II - Patrobulus, Hermas, Linus, Caius, Philologus of 70 disciples (Portrait of Linus).jpg St Linus
LINVS
Linus c. 10 Volterrae, Italia, Roman Empire 54–58 / 66–69 First Roman pope, being a Roman citizen born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Feast day 23 September. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 7 June. Possibly mentioned in the New Testament (Second Epistle to Timothy 4:21).
3 76–79 / 88–91 Interior of Chiesa dei Gesuiti (Venice) - sacristy - Papa Cleto - 1592-1593 - by Palma il Giovane.jpg St Anacletus
(Cletus)
ANACLETVS (CLETVS)
Anacletus c. 25 Athenae, Achaea, Roman Empire 51–54 / 63–66 First Greek pope. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Feast day 26 April. Once erroneously split into Cletus and Anacletus.
4 26 April 88 –
23 November 99
(11 years, 211 days)
Clemens Romanus.jpg St Clement I
CLEMENS
Clemens c. 35 Roma, Italia, Roman Empire 53 / 64 (†66) Roman citizen, born in the capital of the Roman Empire. Feast day 23 November. The earliest Apostolic Father, issued 1 Clement which is said to be the basis of apostolic authority for the clergy. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 25 November. Possibly mentioned in the New Testament (Epistle to the Philippians 4:3). He was martyred by being tied to an anchor and being thrown in the sea.
5 23 November 99 –
27 October 105
(5 years, 338 days)
Pope Saint Evaristus (by Sandro Botticelli) – Sistine Chapel (1481).jpg St Evaristus
EVARISTVS
Evaristus c. 30 Bethlehem, Iudaea, Roman Empire 69 / 75 Hellenized Jew. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Said to have divided Rome into parishes, assigning a priest to each. Feast day of 26 October.

2nd century

Popes of the 2nd century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
6 27 October 105 –
3 May 115
(9 years, 188 days)
Sanctus Alexander Papa Sancta Maria Antiqua.jpg St Alexander I
ALEXANDER
Alexander c. 75 Roma, Italia, Roman Empire 30 / 40 Roman citizen, born in the capital of the Roman Empire. Inaugurated the custom of blessing houses with holy water. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 18 March.
7 3 May 115 –
3 April 125
(9 years, 335 days)
Quéménéven (29) Chapelle Notre-Dame de Kergoat Baie 10 Vue 05.JPG St Sixtus I
SYXTVS
Sixtus 42 Roma, Italia, Roman Empire 73 / 83 A Roman of Greek descent, born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Uncertain if he was a peregrinus (a free subject of the Roman Empire) or a Roman citizen. Feast day of 6 April. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 10 August.
8 3 April 125 –
5 January 136
(10 years, 277 days)
Telesphorus.png St Telesphorus
TELESPHORVS
Telesphorus c. 67 Terra Nova, Italia, Roman Empire 58 / 69 A Roman of Greek descent, born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Uncertain if it was a peregrinus (a free subject of the Roman Empire) or a Roman citizen. Feast day of 5 January. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 22 February. Church Father St. Irenaeus called him a great martyr; the earliest attested martyrdom of pope after St. Peter.
9 5 January 136 –
11 January 140
(4 years, 6 days)
Pope Hyginus in St Paul.gif St Hyginus
HYGINVS
Hyginus c. 74 Athens, Achaea, Roman Empire 58 / 62 Greek. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Tradition holds he was martyred; feast day 11 January.
10 11 January 140 –
11 July 155
(15 years, 181 days)
Pope Pius I.jpg St Pius I
PIVS
Pius c. 81 Aquileia, Italia, Roman Empire 59 / 74 Roman citizen, born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Was brother of Hermas. Martyred by sword; feast day 11 July. Decreed that Easter should only be celebrated on a Sunday.
11 11 July 155 –
20 April 166
(10 years, 283 days)
'Saint Anicetus, Pope and Martyr', anonymous Mexican retablo, mid 19th century, El Paso Museum of Art.jpg St Anicetus
ANICETVS
Anicetus c. 92 Emesa, Syria, Roman Empire 63 / 74 Hellenized Syrian; first Syrian pope. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Tradition holds he was martyred; feast day 17 April. Decreed that priests are not allowed to have long hair.
12 20 April 166 –
22 April 174
(8 years, 2 days)
Pope Soterius.gif St Soter
SOTERIVS
Soterius c. 119 Fundi, Italia, Roman Empire 46 / 55 Roman citizen, born in Italia, the homeland of the ancient Romans. Tradition holds he was martyred; feast day 22 April. Declared that marriage was valid as a sacrament blessed by a priest; formally inaugurated Easter as an annual festival in Rome.
13 22 April 174 –
26 May 189
(15 years, 34 days)
Eleutherus. Eleuterio, santo e papa.jpg St Eleutherius
ELEVTHERIVS
Eleutherius c. 130 Nicopolis, Epirus, Roman Empire 45 / 59 Greek. A peregrinus, free provincial subject of the Roman Empire who was not a Roman citizen. Tradition holds he was martyred; feast day 6 May.
14 26 May 189 –
28 July 199
(10 years, 63 days)
Pfarrkirche Semmering Glasfenster.jpg St Victor I
VICTOR
Victor c. 155 Africa, Roman Empire 34 / 44 Roman Berber; first pope to have been born on the continent of Africa. Uncertain if it was a peregrinus (a free subject of the Roman Empire) or a Roman citizen. Known for excommunicating Theodotus of Byzantium. Quartodecimanism controversy.
15 28 July 199 –
20 December 217
(18 years, 145 days)
Zephyrinus.jpg St Zephyrinus
ZEPHYRINVS
Zephyrinus c. 160 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 39 / 57 Roman citizen, born in the capital of the Roman Empire. Combated against the adoptionist heresies of the followers of Theodotus of Byzantium who were ruled by Theodotus and Asclepiodotus. Although not physically martyred (murdered), he is called a martyr for the suffering he endured.
c. 199 –
c. 200
(1 year, 0 days)
Natalius
NATALIVS
Natalius Roma, Italia, Roman Empire Roman citizen, born in the capital of the Roman Empire. In opposition to pope Zephyrinus. Later reconciled.

3rd century

Popes of the 3rd century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
16 20 December 217 –
14 October 222
(4 years, 298 days)
St Callixtus I
CALLIXTVS
c. 155 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 62 / 67 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). Martyred; feast day 14 October.
217 –
235
(18 years, 0 days)
St Hippolytus
HIPPOLYTVS
c. 170 Asia Minor, Roman Empire 47 / 65 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). In opposition to Callixtus I, Urban I and Pontian. Later reconciled with Pontian (see below).
17 14 October 222 –
23 May 230
(7 years, 221 days)
St Urban I
VRBANVS
c. 175 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 47 / 55 Roman citizen. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 25 May.
18 21 August 230 –
28 September 235
(5 years, 38 days)
St Pontian
PONTIANVS
c. 175 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 55 / 60 Roman citizen. First to abdicate after exile to Sardinia by Emperor Maximinus Thrax. The Liberian Catalogue records his death on 28 September 235, the earliest exact date in papal history.
19 21 November 235 –
3 January 236
(43 days)
St Anterus
ANTERVS
c. 180 Petelia, Italy, Roman Empire 55 / 56 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). Feast day 3 January. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 5 August.
20 10 January 236 –
20 January 250
(14 years, 10 days)
St Fabian
FABIANVS
c. 200 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 36 / 50 Roman citizen. Divided the communities of Rome into seven districts, each supervised by a deacon. Feast day 20 January. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 5 August.
21 6 March 251 –
25 June 253
(2 years, 111 days)
St Cornelius
CORNELIVS
c. 180 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 71 / 73 Roman citizen. Died as a martyr through extreme hardship; feast day 16 September.
March 251 –
258
(7 years, 0 days)
Novatian
NOVATIANVS
c. 200–20 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 31–51 / 38–58 Roman citizen. Founder of Novatianism. In opposition to Cornelius, Lucius I, Stephen I and Sixtus II.
22 25 June 253 –
5 March 254
(253 days)
St Lucius I
LUCIVS
c. 200 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 48 / 49 Roman citizen. Feast day 5 March.
23 12 March 254 –
2 August 257
(3 years, 143 days)
St Stephen I
STEPHANVS
c. 205 Rome, Italia, Roman Empire 54 / 57 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). Martyred by beheading; feast day 2 August. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with the same feast day.
24 30 August 257 –
6 August 258
(341 days)
St Sixtus II
SYXTVS Secundus
c. 215 Athens, Achaea, Roman Empire 42 / 43 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). Martyred by beheading. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 10 August.
25 22 July 259 –
26 December 268
(9 years, 157 days)
St Dionysius
DIONYSIVS
c. 200 Terra Nova, Italy, Roman Empire 59 / 68 Roman citizen of Greek descent (Constitutio Antoniniana). Feast day 26 December.
26 5 January 269 –
30 December 274
(5 years, 359 days)
St Felix I
FELIX
c. 206 Rome, Italy Roman Empire 63 / 68 Roman citizen. Feast day 30 December.
27 4 January 275 –
7 December 283
(8 years, 337 days)
St Eutychian
EVTYCHIANVS
c. 240 Luna, Italy, Roman Empire (Now Luni, Italy) 35 / 43 Roman citizen. Feast day 8 December.
28 17 December 283 –
22 April 296
(12 years, 127 days)
St Caius
CAIVS
c. 245 Salona, Dalmatia, Roman Empire 38 / 51 Roman citizen. Martyred by beheading (according to legend). Feast day 22 April. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 11 August.
29 30 June 296 –
26 April 304
(7 years, 301 days)
St Marcellinus
MARCELLINVS
c. 250 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 46 / 54 Roman citizen. Feast day 26 April. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 7 June.

4th century

Popes of the 4th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
30 27 May 308 –
16 January 309
(234 days)
St Marcellus I
MARCELLVS
c. 255 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 53 / 54 Roman citizen. Feast day 16 January. Banished from Rome under Maxentius (309).
31 18 April 309 –
17 August 310
(1 year, 121 days)
St Eusebius
EVSEBIVS
c. 255 Sardinia, Roman Empire 54 / 54 (†55) Roman citizen of Greek descent. Feast day 17 August. Banished by the emperor Maxentius, and died in exile.
32 2 July 311 –
10 January 314
(2 years, 192 days)
St Miltiades
(Melchiades)
MILTIADES
c. 270 Africa, Roman Empire 41 / 44 Roman citizen of Berber descent. Feast day 10 January. First pope after the end of the persecution of Christians through the Edict of Milan (313 AD) issued by Constantine the Great. Presided over the Lateran council of 313.
33 31 January 314 –
31 December 335
(21 years, 334 days)
St Sylvester I
SILVESTER
c. 285 Fanum Sancti Angeli de Scala, Apulia et Calabria, Roman Empire 29 / 50 Roman citizen. Feast day 31 December. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 2 January. Pope during the First Council of Nicaea (325), the first ecumenical council. Under him was built: the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and Old St. Peter's Basilica. Stated to be the recipient of the Donation of Constantine, which was later shown to be a forgery.
34 18 January 336 –
7 October 336
(263 days)
St Mark
MARCVS
c. 290 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 46 / 46 Roman citizen. One of Mark's undertakings was to compile stories of the lives of martyrs and bishops before his time. There is some reason to believe he founded two churches in the area of Rome. One of them is still known to this day as the Church of San Marco, although it is greatly changed since his time. The other church was at the Catacomb of Balbina, a cemetery. Emperor Constantine gave gifts of land and furnishing for both buildings. Feast day 7 October.
35 6 February 337 –
12 April 352
(15 years, 66 days)
St Julius I
IVLIVS
c. 280 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 57 / 72 Roman citizen. He was involved in the Arian controversy, supporting Athanasius of Alexandria.
36 17 May 352 –
24 September 366
(14 years, 130 days)
Liberius
LIBERIVS
c. 310 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 42 / 56 Roman citizen. Banished by the Arian-leaning Emperor Constantius II and later yielding to him. Earliest pope not canonized by the Latin Church. Revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 27 August.
355 –
22 November 365
(10 years, 0 days)
Felix II
FELIX Secundus
c. 300 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 55 / 65 Roman citizen. In opposition to Pope Liberius. Installed by Arian-leaning Emperor Constantius II.
37 1 October 366 –
11 December 384
(18 years, 71 days)
St Damasus I
DAMASVS
c. 305 Egitania, Lusitania or Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 60 / 78 Roman citizen. The first pope from modern-day Portugal. Patron of Jerome, commissioned the Vulgate translation of the Bible. Pope during the First Council of Constantinople (381), the second ecumenical council. Council of Rome (382). First pope to be the official head of the church after the Emperor Gratian abdicates the title of "Pontifex Maximus".
1 October 366 –
16 November 367
(1 year, 46 days)
Ursinus
VRSINVS
Rome, Italy, Roman Empire Roman citizen. In opposition to Damasus I. Banished to Gallia by Emperor Valentinian II after a war between two sects and died after 384.
38 17 December 384 –
26 November 399
(14 years, 344 days)
St Siricius
SIRICIVS
c. 334 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 50 / 65 Roman citizen. His famous letters—the earliest surviving texts of papal decretals—focus particularly on religious discipline and include decisions on baptism, consecration, ordination, penance, and continence. Siricius' important decretal of 386 (written to Bishop Himerius of Tarragona), commanding celibacy for priests, was the first decree on this subject.
39 27 November 399 –
19 December 401
(2 years, 22 days)
St Anastasius I
ANASTASIVS
c. 340 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 59 / 61 Roman citizen. Instructed priests to stand and bow their heads as they read from the Gospels.

5th century

Popes of the 5th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
40 21 December 401 –
12 March 417
(15 years, 81 days)
St Innocent I
INNOCENTIVS
c. 378 Albanum, Latium et Campania, Roman Empire 41 / 57 Roman citizen. Visigoth Sack of Rome (410) under Alaric I.
41 18 March 417 –
26 December 418
(1 year, 283 days)
St Zosimus
ZOSIMVS
c. 370 Messurga, Lucania et Bruttii, Roman Empire 47 / 48 Roman citizen of Greek descent.
27 December 418 –
3 April 419
(97 days)
Eulalius
EVLALIVS
350–80 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 38–68 / 39–69 (†42–72) Roman citizen. In opposition to Pope Boniface I. Elected on the eve of the election of Boniface, first benefited from the support of the emperor Honorius, but lost it quickly. Exiled in Campania, and died in 423.
42 28 December 418 –
4 September 422
(3 years, 250 days)
St Boniface I
BONIFACIVS
c. 377 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 43 / 47 Roman citizen.
43 10 September 422 –
27 July 432
(9 years, 321 days)
St Celestine I
CAELESTINVS
c. 380 Campania, Roman Empire 42 / 52 Roman citizen. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 8 April. Pope during the Council of Ephesus (431), the third ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches.
44 31 July 432 –
18 August 440
(8 years, 18 days)
St Sixtus III
SYXTVS Tertius
c. 390 Rome, Italy, Roman Empire 42 / 50 Roman citizen.
45 29 September 440 –
10 November 461
(21 years, 42 days)
St Leo I
(Leo the Great)
LEO MAGNVS
c. 390 Etruria, Italia, Roman Empire 50 / 71 Roman citizen. Convinced Attila the Hun to turn back his invasion of Italy. Wrote the Tome which was instrumental in the Council of Chalcedon (451) and in defining the hypostatic union. Feast day 10 November. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 18 February.
46 19 November 461 –
29 February 468
(6 years, 102 days)
St Hilary
HILARIVS
c. 400 Sardinia, Italy, Western Roman Empire 46 / 53 Roman citizen.
47 3 March 468 –
10 March 483
(15 years, 7 days)
St Simplicius
SIMPLICIVS
c. 430 Tibur, Italy, Western Roman Empire 38 / 53 Roman citizen, later a subject of the Kingdom of Italy. Papacy during the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent overtaking of Rome and Italy in general by Odoacer.
48 13 March 483 –
1 March 492
(8 years, 354 days)
St Felix III
FELIX Tertius
c. 440 Rome, Italy, Western Roman Empire 43 / 52 Roman citizen, later a subject of the Kingdom of Italy. Sometimes called Felix II. Great-great-grandfather of pope Gregory I.
49 1 March 492 –
21 November 496
(4 years, 265 days)
St Gelasius I
GELASIVS
c. 410 Mons Ferratus, Quinquegentiani, Africa, Western Roman Empire 82 / 86 Roman citizen of Berber descent, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy; the last pope to have been born on the continent of Africa. The first pope called the "Vicar of Christ".
50 24 November 496 –
19 November 498
(1 year, 360 days)
Anastasius II
ANASTASIVS Secundus
c. 445 Rome, Italy, Western Roman Empire 51 / 53 Roman citizen of Greek descent, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy. Tried to end the Acacian schism but it resulted in the Laurentian schism. Earliest pope not canonized by either the Latin Church or the Eastern Church.
51 22 November 498 –
19 July 514
(15 years, 239 days)
St Symmachus
SYMMACHVS
c. 460 Sardinia, Italy, Western Roman Empire 38 / 54 Roman citizen, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy.
22 November 498 –
Aug 506/8
(7 years, 252 days)
Laurence
LAVRENTIVS
c. 460 Rome, Italy, Western Roman Empire 38 / 46 (†48) Roman citizen, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy. In opposition to Symmachus. Elected on the same day as Symachus, King Theodoric settled in favour of his adversary. Took control of Rome in 501 and remained pope in fact until he died in 506/08.

6th century

Popes of the 6th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
52 20 July 514 –
6 August 523
(9 years, 17 days)
St Hormisdas
HORMISDAS
c. 450 Frusino, Italy, Western Roman Empire 64 / 73 Roman citizen, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy. Father of Pope Silverius. Acacian schism.
53 13 August 523 –
18 May 526
(2 years, 278 days)
St John I
IOANNES
c. 470 Sena Iulia, Italy, Western Roman Empire 53 / 56 Roman citizen, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy.
54 12 July 526 –
22 September 530
(4 years, 72 days)
St Felix IV
FELIX Quartus
c. 490 Samnium, Kingdom of Odoacer 36 / 40 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy of Roman descent. Sometimes called Felix III. Built Santi Cosma e Damiano.
55 22 September 530 –
17 October 532
(2 years, 25 days)
Boniface II
BONIFACIVS Secundus
c. 490 Rome, Kingdom of Odoacer 40 / 42 Ostrogoth; Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy. First Germanic pope. Changed the numbering of the years in the Julian Calendar from the Era of the Martyrs to Anno Domini.
22 September 530 –
14 October 530
(22 days)
Dioscore
DIOSCORVS
Alexandria, Aegyptus, Eastern Roman Empire (Eastern) Roman citizen of Greek descent. In opposition to Pope Boniface II. Candidate of the Byzantine party, elected by the majority of the cardinals and recognized by Constantinople, he died less than a month after his election.
56 2 January 533 –
8 May 535
(2 years, 126 days)
John II
IOANNES Secundus
c. 473 Rome, Western Roman Empire 63 / 65 Roman citizen, later a subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy. First pope not to use his personal name, as it was associated with a Roman god, Mercury.
57 13 May 535 –
22 April 536
(356 days)
St Agapetus I
AGAPETVS
c. 490 Rome, Kingdom of Odoacer 45 / 46 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy of Roman descent. Feast days 22 April and 20 September. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 17 April.
58 8 June 536 –
11 March 537
(276 days)
St Silverius
SILVERIVS
c. 480 Cicanum, Ostrogothic Kingdom 56 / 57 Subject of Kingdom of Italy under Odoacer and later under Ostrogoths. Was of Roman descent. Exiled; feast day 20 June, son of Hormisdas.
59 29 March 537 –
7 June 555
(18 years, 70 days)
Vigilius
VIGILIVS
c. 500 Rome, Kingdom of Odoacer 37 / 55 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Pope during the Second Council of Constantinople (553), the fifth ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
60 16 April 556 –
4 March 561
(4 years, 322 days)
Pelagius I
PELAGIVS
c. 505 Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom 51 / 56 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Credited with the construction of the basilica of Santi Apostoli.
61 17 July 561 –
13 July 574
(12 years, 361 days)
John III
IOANNES Tertius
c. 520 Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom 41 / 54 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Second Pope not to use his personal name.
62 2 June 575 –
30 July 579
(4 years, 58 days)
Benedict I
BENEDICTVS
c. 525 Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom 50 / 54 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
63 26 November 579 –
7 February 590
(10 years, 73 days)
Pelagius II
PELAGIVS Secundus
c. 520 Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom 59 / 70 Romanized Ostrogoth. Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Ordered the construction of the Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura.
64 3 September 590 –
12 March 604
(13 years, 191 days)
St Gregory I
(Gregory the Great)
GREGORIVS MAGNVS
c. 540 Rome, Eastern Roman Empire 50 / 64 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Great-great-grandson of pope Felix III. The first formally to employ the titles Servus servorum Dei and Pontifex Maximus. Established the Gregorian chant. Feast day 3 September. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 12 March. Known as "the Father of Christian Worship". Known as "St. Gregory the Dialogist" in Eastern Orthodoxy.

7th century

Popes of the 7th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
65 13 September 604 –
22 February 606
(1 year, 162 days)
Sabinian
SABINIANVS
c. 530 Blera, Eastern Roman Empire 74 / 76 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. For the next two centuries the Roman popes were all controlled by the Byzantine Empire.
66 19 February 607 –
12 November 607
(266 days)
Boniface III
BONIFACIVS Tertius
c. 540 Rome, Eastern Roman Empire 67 / 67 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek descent.
67 15 September 608 –
8 May 615
(6 years, 235 days)
St Boniface IV
BONIFACIVS Quartus
c. 550 Marsica, Eastern Roman Empire 58 / 65 Subject of the (Ostrogothic) Kingdom of Italy, later a (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. First pope to bear the same name as his immediate predecessor. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
68 13 November 615 –
8 November 618
(2 years, 360 days)
St Adeodatus I
ADEODATVS or DEVSDEDIT
c. 570 Rome, Eastern Roman Empire 55 / 58 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Sometimes called Deusdedit. The first pope to use lead seals on papal documents, which in time came to be called papal bulls.
69 23 December 619 –
25 October 625
(5 years, 306 days)
Boniface V
BONIFACIVS Quintus
c. 575 Neapolis, Eastern Roman Empire 44 / 50 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
70 27 October 625 –
12 October 638
(12 years, 350 days)
Honorius I
HONORIVS
c. 585 Ceperanum, Campania, Eastern Roman Empire 40 / 53 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Named a heretic and anathematized by the Third Council of Constantinople. (680)
71 28 May 640 –
2 August 640
(66 days)
Severinus
SEVERINVS
c. 585 Rome, Eastern Roman Empire 55 / 55 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
72 24 December 640 –
12 October 642
(1 year, 292 days)
John IV
IOANNES Quartus
c. 587 Iadera, Dalmatia, Eastern Roman Empire 40 / 42 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
73 24 November 642 –
14 May 649
(6 years, 171 days)
Theodore I
THEODORVS
c. 610 Hierosolyma, Eastern Roman Empire 32 / 39 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. The last pope from Palestine. Planned the Lateran Council of 649, but died before it could open.
74 5 July 649 –
12 November 655
(6 years, 130 days)
St Martin I
MARTINVS
c. 590 Near Tuder, Umbria, Eastern Roman Empire 59 / 65 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Last pope recognized as a martyr. Feast day of 12 November. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 14 April.
75 10 August 654 –
2 June 657
(2 years, 296 days)
St Eugene I
EVGENIVS
c. 615 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 39 / 42 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
76 30 July 657 –
27 January 672
(14 years, 181 days)
St Vitalian
VITALIANVS
c. 600 Signia, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 57 / 72 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
77 11 April 672 –
17 June 676
(4 years, 67 days)
Adeodatus II
ADEODATVS Secundus
c. 621 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 51 / 55 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Sometimes called Adeodatus, without a number, in reference to Adeodatus I sometimes being called Deusdedit. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
78 2 November 676 –
11 April 678
(1 year, 160 days)
Donus
DONVS
c. 610 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 66 / 68 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity.
79 27 June 678 –
10 January 681
(2 years, 197 days)
St Agatho
AGATHO
c. 577 Panormus, Sicily, Eastern Roman Empire 101 / 104 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 20 February. Pope during the Third Council of Constantinople (680), the sixth ecumenical council accepted by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
80 17 August 682 –
3 July 683
(320 days)
St Leo II
LEO Secundus
c. 611 Aydonum, Sicily, Eastern Roman Empire 71 / 72 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. Feast day 3 July.
81 26 June 684 –
8 May 685
(316 days)
St Benedict II
BENEDICTVS Secundus
c. 635 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 49 / 50 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Feast day 7 May.
82 23 July 685 –
2 August 686
(1 year, 10 days)
John V
IOANNES Quintus
c. 635 Antiochia, Syria, Eastern Roman Empire 50 / 51 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity.
83 21 October 686 –
21 September 687
(335 days)
Conon
CONON
c. 630 Thracia, Eastern Roman Empire 56 / 57 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity.
84 15 December 687 –
8 September 701
(13 years, 267 days)
St Sergius I
SERGIVS
c. 650 Palermo, Sicily, Eastern Roman Empire 37 / 51 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was a Hellenized Syrian. Introduced the singing of the Lamb of God at mass.

8th century

Popes of the 8th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
85 30 October 701 –
11 January 705
(3 years, 73 days)
John VI
IOANNES Sextus
Ioannes c. 650 Ephesus, Eastern Roman Empire 46 / 50 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. The only pope who came from Asia Minor.
86 1 March 705 –
18 October 707
(2 years, 231 days)
Byzantinischer Mosaizist um 705 002.jpg John VII
IOANNES Septimus
Ioannes c. 655 Rossanum, Calabria, Eastern Roman Empire 55 / 57 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. The second pope to bear the same name as his immediate predecessor.
87 15 January 708 –
4 February 708
(20 days)
Sisinnius
SISINNIVS
Sisinnius c. 650 Syria, Rashidun Caliphate 58 / 58 Born as subject of the Rashidun Caliphate. Was Syrian.
88 25 March 708 –
9 April 715
(7 years, 15 days)
Constantine
CONSTANTINVS
Constantinus c. 664 Syria, Umayyad Caliphate 44 / 51 Born as subject of the Umayyad Caliphate. Was Syrian. Last pope to visit Greece while in office, until John Paul II in 2001.
89 19 May 715 –
11 February 731
(15 years, 268 days)
St Gregory II
GREGORIVS Secundus
Gregorius c. 669 Rome, Duchy of Rome
(Eastern Roman Empire)
46 / 62 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Feast day 11 February. Held the Synod of Rome (721).
90 18 March 731 –
28 November 741
(10 years, 255 days)
178-7866 IMG – Gregorius III AV St Gregory III
GREGORIVS Tertius
Gregorius c. 669 Syria, Umayyad Caliphate 41 / 51 Born as subject of the Umayyad Caliphate; the last pope from Syria. The third pope to come from a Muslim country. The third pope to bear the same name as his immediate predecessor. Last pope to have been born outside Europe until the election of Francis in 2013.
91 3 December 741 –
22 March 752
(10 years, 110 days)
Età di papa Zaccaria, cappella del primicerius Teodoro, Madonna in trono con Theodoto e la moglie, 741-752 (09).jpg St Zachary
ZACHARIAS
Zacharias c. 679 Sancta Severina, Calabria, Eastern Roman Empire 62 / 73 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Greek ethnicity. Feast day 15 March. Built the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
22 March 752 –
25 March 752
(3 days)
(Never took office as pope)
Stephen
STEPHANUS
Stephanus c. 700 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 52 / 52 (Eastern) Roman citizen. Was of Roman ethnicity. Previously known as Stephen II. Died three days after his election, having never received episcopal consecration. Some lists still include him. The Vatican sanctioned his addition in the sixteenth century; removed in 1961. He is no longer considered a pope by the Catholic Church.
92 26 March 752 –
26 April 757
(5 years, 31 days)
Stephen II
STEPHANVS Secundus
Stephanus c. 714 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 38 / 43 (Eastern) Roman citizen (was of Roman ethnicity), later the sovereign of the independent Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen III. The Donation of Pepin. Brother of Paul I.
93 29 May 757 –
28 June 767
(10 years, 30 days)
St Paul I
PAVLVS
Paulus c. 700 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 57 / 67 (Eastern) Roman citizen (was of Roman ethnicity), later the sovereign of the independent Papal States. Brother of Stephen II.
94 7 August 768 –
24 January 772
(3 years, 170 days)
Stephen III
STEPHANVS Tertius
Stephanus c. 723 Syracuse, Sicily, Eastern Roman Empire 45 / 49 (Eastern) Roman citizen (was of Greek ethnicity), later the sovereign of the independent Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen IV. He summoned the Lateran Council (769).
95 1 February 772 –
26 December 795
(23 years, 328 days)
Adrian I
HADRIANVS
Hadrianus c. 700–12 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 72–60 / 95–83 (Eastern) Roman citizen (was of Roman ethnicity), later the sovereign of the independent Papal States. Pope during the Second Council of Nicaea (787), the seventh ecumenical council accepted by the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches.
96 26 December 795 –
12 June 816
(20 years, 169 days)
Leo III Mosaic.jpg St Leo III
LEO Tertius
Leo c. 750 Rome, Duchy of Rome, Exarchate of Ravenna, Eastern Roman Empire 45 / 66 (Eastern) Roman citizen (was of Roman ethnicity), later the sovereign of the independent Papal States. Crowned Charlemagne emperor on Christmas Day, 800, thereby initiating what would become the Holy Roman Empire, requiring the imprimatur of the pope for its ruler's legitimacy.

9th century

Popes of the 9th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
97 22 June 816 –
24 January 817
(216 days)
Stephen IV
STEPHANVS Quartus
Stephanus c. 770 Rome, Papal States 46 / 47 First pope born in Rome after breaking away from the Roman Empire. Sometimes called Stephen V.
98 25 January 817 –
11 February 824
(7 years, 17 days)
Pope Paschalis I. in apsis mosaic of Santa Prassede in Rome.gif St Paschal I
PASCHALIS
Paschalis c. 775 Rome, Papal States 42 / 49 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Son of Bonosus and Episcopa Theodora. Credited with finding the body of Saint Cecilia in the Catacomb of Callixtus, building the basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and the church of Santa Maria in Domnica.
99 8 May 824 –
27 August 827
(3 years, 111 days)
Eugene II
EVGENIVS Secundus
Eugenius c. 780 Rome, Papal States 44 / 47 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
100 31 August 827 –
10 October 827
(40 days)
Valentine
VALENTINVS
Valentinus c. 780 Rome, Papal States 47 / 47 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
101 20 December 827 –
25 January 844
(16 years, 36 days)
Gregory-IV (cropped).jpg Gregory IV
GREGORIVS Quartus
Gregorius c. 790 Rome, Papal States 37 / 54 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Rebuilt the atrium of St. Peter's Basilica and in the newly decorated chapel transferred the body of Gregory I.
102 25 January 844 –
27 January 847
(3 years, 2 days)
Sergius II
SERGIVS Secundus
Sergius c. 790 Rome, Papal States 54 / 57 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
103 10 April 847 –
17 July 855
(8 years, 98 days)
Pope St. Leo IV.jpg St Leo IV
LEO Quartus
Leo c. 790 Rome, Papal States 57 / 65 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States, was of Lombard ethnicity. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
104 29 September 855 –
17 April 858
(2 years, 200 days)
Benedict III
BENEDICTVS Tertius
Benedictus c. 810 Rome, Papal States 45 / 48 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
105 24 April 858 –
13 November 867
(9 years, 203 days)
St Nicholas I
(Nicholas the Great)
NICOLAVS MAGNVS
Nicolaus c. 800 Rome, Papal States 39 / 48 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Encouraged missionary activity.
106 14 December 867 –
14 December 872
(5 years, 0 days)
Adrian II
HADRIANVS Secundus
Hadrianus c. 792 Rome, Papal States 75 / 80 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Pope during the Council of Constantinople IV (869), the eighth ecumenical council of the Catholic Church.
107 14 December 872 –
16 December 882
(10 years, 2 days)
John VIII
IOANNES Octavus
Ioannes c. 820 Rome, Papal States 52 / 62 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. First pope to be assassinated.
108 16 December 882 –
15 May 884
(1 year, 151 days)
Marinus I
MARINVS
Marinus c. 830 Gallese, Papal States 52 / 54 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Erroneously also known as Martin II.
109 17 May 884 –
15 September 885
(1 year, 121 days)
St Adrian III
HADRIANVS Tertius
Hadrianus c. 830 Rome, Papal States 49 / 50 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Feast day 8 July. Adrian I was possibly his ancestor.
110 14 September 885 –
4 September 891
(5 years, 355 days)
Stephen V
STEPHANVS Quintus
Stephanus c. 840 Rome, Papal States 45 / 51 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen VI.
111 6 October 891 –
4 April 896
(4 years, 181 days)
Formosus
FORMOSVS
Formosus c. 805–16 Ostia, Papal States 75–85 / 80–91 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. In early 897 posthumously executed following the Cadaver Synod. His body was reburied with full Christian honours in 897.
112 11 April 896 –
26 April 896
(15 days)
Boniface VI
BONIFATIVS Sextus
Bonifatius c. 806 Rome, Papal States 90 / 90 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
113 22 May 896 –
14 August 897
(1 year, 84 days)
Stephen VI
STEPHANVS
Stephanus c. 850 Rome, Papal States 46 / 47 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen VII. Held the infamous Cadaver Synod.
114 14 August 897 –
Nov 897
(92 days)
Romanus
ROMANVS
Romanus c. 850 Gallese, Papal States 47 / 47 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
115 December 897 –
20 December 897
(19 days)
Theodore II
THEODORVS Secundus
Theodorus c. 840 Rome, Papal States 57 / 57 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States, of Greek ethnicity.
116 18 January 898 –
5 January 900
(1 year, 352 days)
John IX
IOANNES Nonus
Ioannes c. 840 Tivoli, Papal States 58 / 60 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States, of Lombard ethnicity. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
117 1 February 900 –
30 July 903
(3 years, 179 days)
Benedict IV
BENEDICTVS Quartus
Benedictus c. 840 Rome, Papal States 60 / 63 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.

10th century

Popes of the 10th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Name: English
· Latin
Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
118 30 July 903 –
Dec 903
(124 days)
Leo V
LEO Quintus
c. 845 Ardea, Papal States 58 / 58 (†59) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Deposed and murdered.
October 903 –
January 904
(92 days)
Christopher
CHRISTOFORO
Rome, Papal States Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Leo V.
119 29 January 904 –
14 April 911
(7 years, 75 days)
Sergius III
SERGIVS Tertius
c. 860 Rome, Papal States 44 / 51 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. "Saeculum obscurum" begins. The first pope to be depicted with the Papal Tiara.
120 14 April 911 –
June 913
(2 years, 48 days)
Anastasius III
ANASTASIVS Tertius
c. 865 Rome, Papal States 46 / 48 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
121 7 July 913 –
5 February 914
(213 days)
Lando
LANDO
c. 865 Sabina, Papal States 48 / 49 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
122 March 914 –
28 May 928
(14 years, 88 days)
John X
IOANNES Decimus
c. 860 Tossignano, Papal States 54 / 68 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
123 28 May 928 –
Dec 928
(187 days)
Leo VI
LEO Sextus
c. 880 Rome, Papal States 48 / 48 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
124 3 February 929 –
13 February 931
(2 years, 10 days)
Stephen VII
STEPHANVS Septimus
c. 880 Rome, Papal States 49 / 51 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen VIII.
125 15 March 931 –
Dec 935
(4 years, 261 days)
John XI
IOANNES Undecimus
c. 910 Rome, Papal States 21 / 25 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Probably, according to the Liber Pontificalis and Liutprand of Cremona, the son of Pope Sergius III, and not of Alberic I of Spoleto, who was Marozia's husband.
126 3 January 936 –
13 July 939
(3 years, 191 days)
Leo VII
LEO Septimus
c. 885 Rome, Papal States 41 / 44 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
127 14 July 939 –
30 October 942
(3 years, 108 days)
Stephen VIII
STEPHANVS Octavus
c. 900 Rome, Papal States 39 / 42 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Sometimes called Stephen IX.
128 30 October 942 –
1 May 946
(3 years, 183 days)
Marinus II
MARINVS Secundus
c. 900 Rome, Papal States 42 / 46 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Erroneously also known as Martin III.
129 10 May 946 –
8 November 955
(9 years, 182 days)
Agapetus II
AGAPETVS Secundus
c. 905 Rome, Papal States 41 / 50 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
130 16 December 955 –
6 December 963
(8 years, 356 days)
John XII
IOANNES Duodecimus
c. 930–37 Rome, Papal States 18–25 / 26–33 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Third pope not to use his personal name (Octavian). Deposed in 963 by Emperor Otto invalidly; end of the "Saeculum obscurum".
6 December 963 –
26 February 964
(82 days)
Leo VIII
LEO Octavus
c. 915 Rome, Papal States 48 / 49 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. Appointed antipope by Emperor Otto in 963 in opposition to John XII and Benedict V. His pontificate after the deposition of Benedict V is considered legitimate by the modern Catholic Church.
130 26 February 964 –
14 May 964
(78 days)
John XII
IOANNES Duodecimus
c. 937 Rome, Papal States 27-34 / 27-34 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Possibly murdered in 964.
131 22 May 964 –
23 June 964
(32 days)
Benedict V
BENEDICTVS Quintus
c. 915 Rome, Papal States 49 / 49 (†50) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Elected by the people of Rome, in opposition to Leo VIII who was appointed by Emperor Otto; he accepted his own deposition in 964 leaving Leo VIII as the sole pope.
132 23 June 964 –
1 March 965
(251 days)
Leo VIII
LEO Octavus
c. 915 Rome, Papal States 49 / 50 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. His pontificate from 963 to 964 is considered illegitimate by today's Catholic Church. An appointee of Emperor Otto I, his pontificate occurred during the period known as the Saeculum obscurum.
133 1 October 965 –
6 September 972
(6 years, 341 days)
John XIII
IOANNES Tertius Decimus
c. 930 Rome, Papal States 35 / 42 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Chronicled after his death as "the Good".
134 19 January 973 –
8 June 974
(1 year, 140 days)
Benedict VI
BENEDICTVS Sextus
c. 925 Rome, Papal States 48 / 49 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States, was of Lombard ethnicity. Deposed and murdered.
July 974 –
July 974
(30 days)
Boniface VII
BONFATIUS Septinus
Rome, Papal States Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States, born Francone Ferucci. In opposition to Benedict VI and Benedict VII.
135 October 974 –
10 July 983
(8 years, 282 days)
Benedict VII
BENEDICTVS Septimus
c. 930 Rome, Papal States 44 / 53 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
136 December 983 –
20 August 984
(263 days)
John XIV
IOANNES Quartus Decimus
c. 940 Pavia, Kingdom of Italy, Holy Roman Empire 43 / 44 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Fourth pope not to use his personal name (Pietro Canepanova).
20 August 984 –
20 July 985
(334 days)
Boniface VII
BONFATIUS Septinus
Rome, Papal States Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to John XIV and John XV
137 20 August 985 –
1 April 996
(10 years, 225 days)
John XV
IOANNES Quintus Decimus
c. 950 Rome, Papal States 35 / 46 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. The first pope to formally canonize a saint.
138 3 May 996 –
18 February 999
(2 years, 291 days)
Gregory V
GREGORIVS Quintus
c. 972 Stainach, Duchy of Carinthia, Holy Roman Empire 24 / 27 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Carinthia, the first official German pope and fifth not to use his personal name (Bruno). Henceforth, this decision became tradition among future popes.
April 997 –
February 998
(306 days)
John XVI
IOANNES Sextus Decimus
c. 941 Rossanum, Calabria, Italy, Eastern Roman Empire 55 / 56 (†60) Born as an Eastern Roman citizen. In opposition to Gregory V
139 2 April 999 –
12 May 1003
(4 years, 40 days)
Sylvester II
SILVESTER Secundus
c. 940–42 Belliac, France 52–54 / 56–58 Born Gerbert, a subject of the Kingdom of France, who was the first French (Occitan) pope.

2nd millennium

11th century

Popes of the 11th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
140 16 May 1003 –
6 November 1003
(174 days)
John XVII
IOANNES Septimus Decimus
Siccone Secchi c. 955 Rome, Papal States 48 / 48 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
141 25 December 1003 –
18 July 1009
(5 years, 205 days)
John XVIII
IOANNES Duodevicesimus
Giovanni Fasano c. 965 Rapagnano,
Papal States, Holy Roman Empire
43 / 49 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. First pope born after the Papal States became a state of the Holy Roman Empire in 962.
142 31 July 1009 –
12 May 1012
(2 years, 286 days)
Sergius IV
SERGIVS Quartus
Pietro Martino Boccadiporco
O.S.B.
c. 970 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 39 / 42 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
12 June 1012 –
31 December 1012
(202 days)
Gregory VI
GREGORIVS Sextus
Gregorio Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Benedict VIII
143 18 May 1012 –
9 April 1024
(11 years, 327 days)
Benedict VIII
BENEDICTVS Octavus
Teofilatto di Tuscolo c. 980 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 32 / 44 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
144 14 May 1024 –
6 October 1032
(8 years, 145 days)
John XIX
IOANNES Undevicesimus
Romano di Tuscolo c. 975 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 49 / 57 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Brother of Benedict VIII.
145 21 October 1032 –
31 December 1044
(12 years, 71 days)
Benedict IX
BENEDICTVS Nonus
Teofilatto di Tuscolo Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 20 / 32 (†43) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States; first term.
146 13 January 1045 –
10 March 1045
(56 days)
Sylvester III
SILVESTER Tertius
Giovanni dei Crescenzi Ottaviani c. 1000 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 45 / 45 (†63) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Validity of election questioned; considered antipope; deposed at the Council of Sutri.
147 10 March 1045 –
1 May 1045
(52 days)
Benedict IX
BENEDICTVS Nonus
Teofilatto di Tuscolo Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 33 / 33 (†43) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Second term; deposed at the Council of Sutri.
148 5 May 1045 –
20 December 1046
(1 year, 229 days)
Gregory VI
GREGORIVS Sextus
Giovanni Graziano Pierleoni c. 1000 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 45 / 46 (†48) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Deposed at the Council of Sutri.
149 24 December 1046 –
9 October 1047
(289 days)
Clement II
CLEMENS Secundus
Suidger von Morsleben-Hornburg c. 967 Hornburg, Duchy of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire 79 / 80 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Saxony. Appointed by King Henry III at the Council of Sutri; crowned Henry III as emperor.
150 8 November 1047 –
17 July 1048
(252 days)
Benedict IX
BENEDICTVS Nonus
Teofilatto di Tuscolo 1012 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 35 / 36 (†43) Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Third term; deposed and excommunicated.
151 17 July 1048 –
9 August 1048
(23 days)
Damasus II
DAMASVS Secundus
Poppo de Curagnoni c. 1000 Pildenau, Duchy of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empire 48 / 48 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Bavaria.
152 12 February 1049 –
19 April 1054
(5 years, 66 days)
Leon IX (crop).jpg St Leo IX
LEO Nonus
Bruno von Egisheim-Dagsburg 21 July 1002 Eguisheim, Duchy of Swabia, Holy Roman Empire 47 / 51 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Swabia. In 1054, the mutual excommunications of Leo IX's legate, cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida, and Patriarch of Constantinople Michael I Cerularius began the East–West Schism. The anathematizations were rescinded by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras in 1965.
153 13 April 1055 –
28 July 1057
(2 years, 106 days)
Gebhard I Bischof von Eichstätt, als Victor II Papst.JPG Victor II
VICTOR Secundus
Gebhard II von Calw-Dollnstein-Hirschberg c. 1018 Duchy of Swabia, Holy Roman Empire 37 / 39 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Swabia.
154 2 August 1057 –
29 March 1058
(239 days)
Stephen IX
STEPHANVS Nonus (Decimus)
Frederich
O.S.B.
c. 1020 Duchy of Lorraine, Holy Roman Empire 37 / 38 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Lorraine. Sometimes called Stephen X. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
4 April 1058 –
24 January 1059
(295 days)
Benedict X
BENEDICTVS Decimus
Giovanni Mincio di Tuscolo Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Nicholas II.
155 6 December 1058 –
27 July 1061
(2 years, 233 days)
Robertoilguiscardo.jpg Nicholas II
NICOLAVS Secundus
Gerald de Bourgogne c. 980 Château de Chevron, County of Savoy, Holy Roman Empire 78 / 81 Born as a subject of the County of Savoy, was from French ethnicity. In 1059 the College of Cardinals was designated the sole body of pope electors in the document In nomine Domini.
30 September 1061 –
1072
(10 years, 185 days)
Honorius II
HONORIVS Secundus
Pietro Candalus 1010 Verona, March of Verona, Holy Roman Empire 61 / 72 Born as a subject of the March of Verona, was of Italian ethnicity (born after the Placiti Cassinesi was written). In opposition to Pope Alexander II
156 30 September 1061 –
21 April 1073
(11 years, 203 days)
Alexander II
ALEXANDER Secundus
Anselmo da Baggio c. 1018 Baggio, Free Commune of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 46 / 58 Citizen of the Free Commune of Milan. Authorized the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
157 22 April 1073 –
25 May 1085
(12 years, 33 days)
Gregorius (Vita Gregorii VII).jpg St Gregory VII
GREGORIVS Septimus
Ildebrando Aldobrandeschi di Soana
O.S.B.
c. 1015 Sovana, March of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 48 / 60 Subject of the March of Tuscany, was from Lombard ethnicity. Initiated the Gregorian Reforms. Restricted the use of the papal title to the bishop of Rome. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Political struggle with Emperor Henry IV, who had to go to Canossa (1077).
25 June 1080 –
8 September 1100
(20 years, 75 days)
Clement III - Antipope (cropped).jpg Clement III
CLEMENS Tertius
Guibert of Ravenna 1029 Ravenna, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 51 / 71 In opposition to Pope Gregory VII, Pope Victor III, Pope Urban II and Pope Paschal II.
158 24 May 1086 –
16 September 1087
(1 year, 115 days)
Victor III. - Desiderius of Montecassino.jpg Bl. Victor III
VICTOR Tertius
Dauferio Epifani Del Zotto
O.S.B.
c. 1026 Benevento, Duchy of Benevento 60 / 61 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Benevento, was from Lombard ethnicity. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Called the Synod of Benevento (1087) condemning lay investiture.
159 12 March 1088 –
29 July 1099
(11 years, 139 days)
Urbano II in consacrazione de l'altare del monastero di Cluny (detail).png Bl. Urban II
VRBANVS Secundus
Odon de Lagery
O.S.B.
c. 1042 Châtillon-sur-Marne, County of Champagne, France 46 / 57 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Preached and started the First Crusade. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict.
160 13 August 1099 –
21 January 1118
(18 years, 161 days)
Pope Paschal-II 1107.jpg Paschal II
PASCHALIS Secundus
Rainero Ranieri
O.S.B.
c. 1050 Bleda, March of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 49 / 68 Born as a subject of the March of Tuscany, was of Lombard ethnicity. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Ordered the building of the basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati.
8 September 1100 –
January 1101
(115 days)
Theodoric
THEODORICVS
Teodorico c. 1030 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 70 / 71 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States, was of Lombard ethnicity. In opposition to Pope Paschal II

12th century

Popes of the 12th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
January 1101 –
February 1102
(1 year, 31 days)
Adalbert
ADALBERTVS
Adalberto
O.S.B.
Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States, was of Lombard ethnicity. In opposition to Pope Paschal II
8 November 1105 –
11 April 1111
(5 years, 154 days)
Sylvester IV
SILVESTER Quartus
Maguinulf 1050 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 49 / 55 (†56) Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States, was of German ethnicity. In opposition to Paschal II.
161 24 January 1118 –
29 January 1119
(1 year, 5 days)
Pope Paschal-II 1107.jpg Gelasius II
GELASIVS Secundus
Giovanni Caetani
O.S.B.
c. 1061 Gaeta, Duchy of Gaeta 57 / 58 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Gaeta.

10 March 1118 –
20 April 1121
(3 years, 41 days)
Gregory VIII
GREGORIVS Octavus
Maurice Baurdain c. 1060 Limousin, Occitania, France 58 / 61 (†77) Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France, was of Occitan ethnicity. In opposition to Gelasius II and Callixtus II.
162 2 February 1119 –
13 December 1124
(5 years, 315 days)
Calixtus II.jpg Callixtus II
CALLISTVS Secundus
Guy c. 1060 Quingey, County of Burgundy, Holy Roman Empire 59 / 64 Born as a subject of the County of Burgundy, was of French ethnicity. Opened the First Council of the Lateran in 1123.

16 December 1124–
16 December 1124
(0 days)
Celestine II
COELESTINVS Secundus
Teobaldo Boccapecora 1050 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 74 / 74 (†76) Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Honorius II.
163 21 December 1124 –
13 February 1130
(5 years, 54 days)
Honorius II
HONORIVS Secundus
Lamberto Scannabecchi da Fiagnano
Can.Reg.
9 February 1060 Fiagnano, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 64 / 70 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Canon Regular of S. Maria di San Reno. Approved the new military order of the Knights Templar in 1128.
164 14 February 1130 –
24 September 1143
(13 years, 222 days)
B Innozenz II1 (cropped).jpg Innocent II
INNOCENTIVS Secundus
Gregorio Papareschi
Can.Reg.
c. 1082 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 48 / 61 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Canon regular of Lateran. Convened the Second Council of the Lateran, 1139.

14 February 1130 –
25 January 1138
(7 years, 345 days)
Anacletus II
ANACLETUS Secundus
Pietro Pierleoni
O.S.B.
1090 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 40 / 48 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Innocent II.

23 March 1138 –
25 March 1138
(2 days)
Victor IV
VICTOR Quartus
Gregorio Conti Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire Subject and later the claimant of throne the Papal States. In Opposition to Pope Innocent II
165 26 September 1143 –
8 March 1144
(164 days)
Pope Celestine, St William and an unidentified Prelate, East Window, York Minster.jpg Celestine II
COELESTINVS Secundus
Guido Guelfuccio de Castello c. 1085 Città di Castello, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 58 / 59 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
166 12 March 1144 –
15 February 1145
(340 days)
Pope Lucius II (1493).jpg Lucius II
LUCIVS Secundus
Gherardo Caccianemici dall'Orso
Can.Reg.
c. 1079 Bologna, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 65 / 66 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Canon Regular of S. Frediano di Lucca.
167 15 February 1145 –
8 July 1153
(8 years, 143 days)
Consécration par EUgène III (Cropped).jpg Bl. Eugene III
EVGENIVS Tertius
Pietro dei Paganelli di Montemagno
O.Cist.
c. 1080 Montemagno, Republic of Pisa, Holy Roman Empire 44 / 73 Citizen of the Republic of Pisa. Member of the Order of Cistercians. Announced the Second Crusade.
168 12 July 1153 –
3 December 1154
(1 year, 144 days)
Paus Anastasius IV Anastasius quartus (titel op object) Liber Chronicarum (serietitel), RP-P-2016-49-67-1.jpg Anastasius IV
ANASTASIVS Quartus
Corrado Demitri della Suburra c. 1073 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 80 / 81 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
169 4 December 1154 –
1 September 1159
(4 years, 271 days)
Adrian IV, servus servorum dei (cropped).png Adrian IV
HADRIANVS Quartus
Nicholas Breakspear
Can.Reg.
c. 1100 Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, Kingdom of England 54 / 59 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of England. The only English (Anglo-Saxon) pope; purportedly granted Ireland to Henry II, King of England. Canon Regular of St. Rufus Monastery.
170 7 September 1159 –
30 August 1181
(21 years, 357 days)
Becket bids farewell to the Pope - Becket Leaves (c.1220-1240), f. 1v - BL Loan MS 88 (cropped).jpg Alexander III
ALEXANDER Tertius
Rolando Bandinelli c. 1100 Siena, March of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 59 / 81 Born as a subject of the March of Tuscany. Convened the Third Council of the Lateran, 1179.

7 September 1159 –
20 April 1164
(4 years, 226 days)
Victor IV
VICTOR Quartus
Ottaviano dei Crescenzi Ottaviani di Monticelli 1095 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 64 / 69 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Pope Alexander III.

28 April 1164 –
22 September 1168
(4 years, 147 days)
Paschal III
PASCALIS Tertius
Guido di Crema 1110 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 54 / 58 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Alexander III.

30 September 1168 –
29 August 1178
(9 years, 333 days)
Callixtus III
CALLIXTVS Tertius
Giovanni di Struma
O.S.B.
1090 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 78 / 88 Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Alexander III.

29 September 1179 –
January 1180
(124 days)
Innocent III
INNOCENTIVS Tertius
Lando di Sezze (or Lanzo) 1120 Sezze, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 59 / 60 (†63) Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to Alexander III.
171 1 September 1181 –
25 November 1185
(4 years, 85 days)
Lucius-III.jpg Lucius III
LUCIVS Tertius
Ubaldo Allucignoli c. 1097 Lucca, March of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 84 / 88 Born as a subject of the March of Tuscany.
172 25 November 1185
20 October 1187
(1 year, 329 days)
Urban2 lat.jpg Urban III
VRBANVS Tertius
Uberto Crivelli c. 1120 Cuggiono, Holy Roman Empire 67 / 67 Was of Italian ethnicity. In the 21st century, Cuggiono is a small Italian town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Milan.
173 21 October 1187
17 December 1187
(57 days)
Gregory VIII
GREGORIVS Octavus
Alberto de Morra
Can.Reg.
c. 1100 Benevento, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 87 / 87 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Canon Regular Premostratense. Proposed the Third Crusade.
174 19 December 1187 –
20 March 1191
(3 years, 91 days)
SpeculumGrandmontis (Pope Clement III).jpg Clement III
CLEMENS Tertius
Paolo Scolari c. 1130 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 57 / 61 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
175 30 March 1191
8 January 1198
(6 years, 284 days)
Coelestin III (cropped 2).png Celestine III
COELESTINVS Tertius
Giacinto Bobone Orsini c. 1106 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 85 / 92 Motto: Perfice gressus meos in semitis tuis ("Going in Thy path")
Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Confirmed the statutes of the Teutonic Knights as a military order.
176 8 January 1198 –
16 July 1216
(18 years, 190 days)
Innozenz3.jpg Innocent III
INNOCENTIVS Tertius
Lotario dei Conti di Segni 1161 Gavignano, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 37 / 55 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Convened the Fourth Council of the Lateran, 1215. Initiated the Fourth Crusade but later distanced himself from it and threatened participants with excommunication when it became clear that the leadership abandoned a focus on conquest of the Holy Land and instead intended to sack Christian cities. Endorsed the Franciscan Order.

13th century

Popes of the 13th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
177 18 July 1216 –
18 March 1227
(10 years, 243 days)
Vad-0321 025 Honorius III (cropped).jpg Honorius III
HONORIVS
Tertius
Cencio Savelli c. 1148–50 Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 66–68 / 77–79 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Initiated the Fifth Crusade. Approved several religious and tertiary orders.
178 19 March 1227 –
22 August 1241
(14 years, 156 days)
Gregory IX (cropped).jpg Gregory IX
GREGORIVS Nonus
Ugolino dei Conti di Segni, O.F.S c. 1145–70 Anagni, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire 57–82 / 71–96 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Initiated the inquisition in France and endorsed the Northern Crusades.
179 25 October 1241 –
10 November 1241
(16 days)
Celestine IV
COELESTINVS Quartus
Goffredo Castiglioni c. 1180–87 Free Commune of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 54–61 / 54–61 Born as a citizen of the Free Commune of Milan. Died before coronation.
180
Blason famille Fieschi.svg
25 June 1243 –
7 December 1254
(11 years, 165 days)
Innocent IV Council of Lyon etail.jpg Innocent IV
INNOCENTIVS Quartus
Sinibaldo Fieschi c. 1195 Genoa, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 48 / 60 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Convened the First Council of Lyons (1245). Issued the bull Ad extirpanda that permitted the torture of heretics (1252).
181
C o a Innocenzo III.svg
12 December 1254 –
25 May 1261
(6 years, 164 days)
Alexander IV
ALEXANDER Quartus
Rinaldo dei Conti di Jenne c. 1199 Jenne, Papal States 55 / 62 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. First pope born after the Papal States ceased to be a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Established an Inquisition in France.
182
Coat of arms of Pope Urban IV.svg
29 August 1261 –
2 October 1264
(3 years, 34 days)
Urban IV
VRBANVS Quartus
Jacques Pantaléon c. 1195 Troyes, County of Champagne, France 66 / 69 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Instituted the feast of Corpus Christi (1264).
183
C o a Clemente IV.svg
5 February 1265 –
29 November 1268
(3 years, 298 days)
Tour Ferrande - Clément IV.JPG Clement IV
CLEMENS
Quartus
Gui Faucoi 23 November 1190 Saint-Gilles, Languedoc, France 62 / 66 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France.
29 November 1268 –
1 September 1271
(2 years, 276 days)
Sede vacante.svg Interregnum Almost three-year period without a valid pope elected. This was due to a deadlock among cardinals voting for the pope.
184
C o a Gregorio X.svg
1 September 1271 –
10 January 1276
(4 years, 131 days)
NoccoloAndMaffeoPoloWithGregoryX (Gregory X).JPG Bl. Gregory X
GREGORIVS Decimus
Tebaldo Visconti, O.F.S c. 1210 Free Commune of Piacenza, Holy Roman Empire 51 / 66 Born as a citizen of the Free Commune of Piacenza, was of Italian ethnicity. Convened the Second Council of Lyons (1274), responsible for regulating all papal conclaves until the 20th century.
185
C o a Innocenzo V.svg
21 January 1276 –
22 June 1276
(153 days)
InnocenzoV.jpg Bl. Innocent V
INNOCENTIVS Quintus
Pierre de Tarentaise, O.P. c. 1224/5 County of Savoy, Holy Roman Empire 52 / 52 Born as a subject of the County of Savoy, was of French ethnicity. Member of the Dominican Order.
186
C o a Adriano V.svg
11 July 1276 –
18 August 1276
(38 days)
Adrian V
HADRIANVS Quintus
Ottobuono Fieschi c. 1216 Genoa, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 60 / 60 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Annulled Gregory X's papal bull on the regulations of papal conclaves.
187
C o a Giovanni XXI.svg
8 September 1276 –
20 May 1277
(254 days)
John XXI
IOANNES Vicesimus Primus
Pedro Julião (a.k.a. Petrus Hispanus and Pedro Hispano) c. 1215 Lisbon, Portugal 60 / 70 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Portugal. Due to a confusion over the numbering of popes named John in the 13th century, the ordinal XX was skipped.
188
C o a Niccolo III.svg
25 November 1277 –
22 August 1280
(2 years, 271 days)
Scuola romana, affreschi del sancta sanctorum, 1280 ca., Niccolò III dona la chiesa ai ss. pietro e paolo 03 (cropped).jpg Nicholas III
NICOLAVS
Tertius
Giovanni Gaetano Orsini c. 1216 Rome, Papal States 61 / 64 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Planned the Sicilian Vespers.
189
C o a Martino IV.svg
22 February 1281 –
28 March 1285
(4 years, 34 days)
Louis9 Canonization (cropped).jpg Martin IV
MARTINVS Quartus
Simon de Brion c. 1210 Meinpicien, Touraine, France 71 / 75 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France.
190
C o a Onorio IV.svg
2 April 1285 –
3 April 1287
(2 years, 1 day)
Honorius IV
HONORIVS Quartus
Giacomo Savelli c. 1210 Rome, Papal States 75 / 77 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States.
191
C o a Niccolo IV.svg
22 February 1288 –
4 April 1292
(4 years, 42 days)
Papa Niccolò IV, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore a Roma.jpg Nicholas IV
NICOLAVS Quartus
Girolamo Masci, O.F.M. 30 September 1227 Lisciano, Papal States 60 / 64 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Franciscan Order.
4 April 1292 –
5 July 1294
(2 years, 92 days)
Sede vacante.svg Interregnum Two-year period without a valid pope elected. This was due to a deadlock among cardinals voting for the pope.
192
C o a Celestino V.svg
5 July 1294 –
13 December 1294
(161 days)
Celestine V Castel Nuovo Napoli n02.jpg St Celestine V
COELESTINVS Quintus
Pietro Angelerio, O.S.B. 1215 Sant'Angelo Limosano, Kingdom of Sicily 79 / 79 (†81) Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Sicily. One of the few popes who abdicated voluntarily. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Founded the Celestines. Resigned from office and rumoured to have been murdered in prison by Boniface VIII.
193
Coat of arms of Bonifacius VIII.svg
24 December 1294 –
11 October 1303
(8 years, 291 days)
Giotto - Bonifatius VIII.jpg Boniface VIII
BONIFATIVS Octavus
Benedetto Caetani c. 1230–36 Anagni, Papal States 59–64 / 68–73 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Formalized the Jubilee in 1300. Issued Unam Sanctam (1302) which proclaimed papal supremacy and pushing it to its historical extreme.

14th century

Popes of the 14th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
194
C o a Benedictus XI.svg
22 October 1303 –
7 July 1304
(259 days)
Coronation of Benedict XI.jpg Bl. Benedict XI
BENEDICTVS Undecimus
Niccolò Boccasini, O.P. c. 1240 Treviso, Papal States 63 / 64 Motto: Illustra faciem Tuam super servum Tuum ("Let Your Face shine upon Your servant")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Dominican Order. Reverted Boniface VIII's Unam Sanctam.

195
C o a Clemens V.svg
5 June 1305 –
20 April 1314
(8 years, 319 days)
Sou d'or de Clément V frappé à Sorgues 1310.jpg Clement V
CLEMENS Quintus
Raymond Bertrand de Gouth c. 1264 Villandraut, Gascony, France 41 / 50 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Convened the Council of Vienne (1311–1312). Initiated the persecution of the Knights Templar with the bull Pastoralis Praeeminentiae under pressure from King Philip IV of France.
20 April 1314 –
7 August 1316
(2 years, 79 days)
Sede vacante.svg Interregnum Two-year period without a valid pope elected. This was due to a deadlock among cardinals voting for the pope.
196
C o a Johannes XXII.svg
7 August 1316 –
4 December 1334
(18 years, 119 days)
Stato della chiesa, carlino di giovanni XXII, 1316-1334.JPG John XXII
IOANNES Vicesimus Secundus
Jacques d'Euse; Jacques Duèse c. 1244–49 Cahors, Quercy, France 67–72 / 85–90 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Controversial for his views on the beatific vision. Opposed the Franciscan understanding of the poverty of Christ and his apostles, famously leading William of Ockham to write against unlimited papal power

12 May 1328–
25 July 1330
(2 years, 74 days)
Antipope-Nicholas V.jpg Nicholas V
NICOLAVS Quintus
Pietro Rainalducci,
O.F.M.
1260 Corvaro, Papal States 68 / 70 (†73) Subject and later the claimant of the throne of the Papal States. In opposition to John XXII.
197
C o a Benedictus XII.svg
20 December 1334 –
25 April 1342
(7 years, 126 days)
Benoît XII Paolo de Siena 1341 crypte de St Pierre de Rome.jpg Benedict XII
BENEDICTVS Duodecimus
Jacques Fournier, O.Cist. c. 1280–85 Saverdun, County of Foix, France 49–54 / 57–62 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Member of the Order of Cistercians. Known for issuing the Apostolic constitution Benedictus Deus (1336). A careful pope who reformed monastic orders and opposed nepotism.
198
C o a Beaufort Popes.svg
7 May 1342 –
6 December 1352
(10 years, 213 days)
01 Clément VI (Fresque de la chapelle Saint-Martial du palais des papes).jpg Clement VI
CLEMENS Sextus
Pierre Roger, O.S.B. c. 1291 Maumont, Limousin, France 51 / 61 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Reigned during the Black Death and absolved those who died of it of their sins.
199
C o a Inocentius VI.svg
18 December 1352 –
12 September 1362
(9 years, 268 days)
Innocent VI.JPG Innocent VI
INNOCENTIVS Sextus
Étienne Aubert c. 1282 Les Monts, Limousin, France 70 / 80 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Through his exertions the Treaty of Brétigny (1360) was brought about.
200
C o a Urbanus V.svg
28 September 1362 –
19 December 1370
(8 years, 82 days)
Urbain V - Pinacotèque de Bologne (cropped).jpg Bl. Urban V
VRBANVS Quintus
Guillaume (de) Grimoard, O.S.B. c. 1309–10 Grizac, Languedoc, France 52–53 / 60–61 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Reformed areas of education and sent missionary movements across Europe and Asia. His pontificate witnessed the Alexandrian and Savoyard crusades.
201
C o a Beaufort Popes.svg
30 December 1370 –
27 March 1378
(7 years, 87 days)
Duke of Anjou leading Pope Gregory XI to the palace at Avignon, while cardinals follow (cropped).png Gregory XI
GREGORIVS Undecimus
Pierre Roger de Beaufort c. 1329 Maumont, Limousin, France 41 / 49 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Pope at Avignon; returns to Rome. The last French pope.
202
C o a Urbanus VI.svg
8 April 1378 –
15 October 1389
(11 years, 190 days)
Tomb of pope Urbanus VI detail.jpg Urban VI
VRBANVS Sextus
Bartolomeo Prignano c. 1318 Naples, Kingdom of Naples 60 / 71 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Western Schism. Last pontiff to be elected outside the College of Cardinals.

C o a Clemente VII (Avignone).svg
20 September 1378 –
16 September 1394
(15 years, 353 days)
GiacMaster Clement VII.jpg Clement VII
CLEMENS Septimus
Robert de Genève 1342 Chateau d'Annecy, County of Savoy, H.R.E. 36 / 52 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. In opposition to Urban VI (1378–89) and Boniface IX (1389–1404)

C o a Benedetto XIII (Avignone).svg
28 September 1394 –
23 May 1423
(28 years, 237 days)
Antipope Benedictus XIII.jpg Benedict XIII
BENEDICTVS Tertius Decimus
Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor 25 November 1328 Illueca, Aragon 66 / 94 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Aragon. In opposition to Boniface IX (1389–1404), Innocent VII (1404–06), Gregory XII (1406–15), Martin V (1417–31) and Pisan Antipopes Alexander V (1409–10) and John XXIII (1410–15)
203
C o a Bonifacio IX.svg
2 November 1389 –
1 October 1404
(14 years, 334 days)
Nuremberg Chronicle f 232v (cropped).jpg Boniface IX
BONIFATIVS Nonus
Pietro Tomacelli Cybo c. 1348–50 Naples, Kingdom of Naples c. 39-41 / c. 54-56 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Western Schism.

15th century

Popes of the 15th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
204
C o a Innocenzo VII.svg
17 October 1404 –
6 November 1406
(2 years, 20 days)
Nuremberg Chronicles f 235v 1 (Innocentius VII).jpg Innocent VII
INNOCENTIVS Septimus
Cosimo Gentile Migliorati 1336–39 Sulmona, Kingdom of Naples 65–68 / 67–71 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Reigned during the Western Schism.
205
C o a Gregorio XII.svg
30 November 1406 –
4 July 1415
(8 years, 216 days)
Joos Van Wassenhove e Pedro Berruguete – San Gregorio – Galleria Nazionale delle Marche.jpg Gregory XII
GREGORIVS Duodecimus
Angelo Correr 1327 Venice, Republic of Venice c. 79 / 88 (†90) Born as a citizen of the Republic of Venice. Reigned during the Western Schism. Abdicated.

C o a Alexander V (antipapa).svg
30 June 1409 –
3 May 1410
(307 days)
Nuremberg Chronicles f 235v 3 (Alexander V).jpg Alexander V
ALEXANDER Quintus
Pétros Philárgēs,
O.F.M.
1339 Neapoli, Candia, Republic of Venice 70 / 71 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Venice. Was of Greek ethnicity. Western Schism. In opposition to Gregory XII. Considered a legitimate pope until 1963 and is numbered as such to this day.

C o a Giovanni XXIII (Pisa).svg
25 May 1410 –
30 May 1415
(5 years, 5 days)
Johannes XXIII. Gegenpapst 2.jpg John XXIII
IOANNES Vicesimus Tertius
Baldassarre Cossa 1365 Procida, Naples 45 / 50 (†54) Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Western Schism. In opposition to Gregory XII. Convened Council of Constance. Deposed. Became dean of the College of Cardinals in 1417. Was considered a legitimate pope until 1958.
4 July 1415 –
11 November 1417
(2 years, 136 days)
Sede vacante.svg Interregnum Two-year period without a valid pope elected. The Council of Constance called on all three papal claimants to abdicate, but only Gregory XII (Roman) did. John XXIII (Pisan) was deposed, Benedict XIII (Avignon) was excommunicated, and a new pope was elected.
206
C o a Martino V.svg
11 November 1417
20 February 1431
(13 years, 101 days)
Papa Martino V.jpg Martin V
MARTINVS Quintus
Oddone Colonna, O.F.S Jan/Feb 1369 Genazzano, Papal States 48 / 62 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. His election effectively ended the Western Schism (1378–1417). Convened the Council of Basel (1431). Initiated the Hussite Wars.

C o a Antipope Clement VIII.svg
10 or 20 June 1423 –
26 July 1429
(6 years, 36 days)
Palma Antipapa Clemens VIII.JPG Clement VIII
CLEMENS Octavus
Gil Sánchez Muñoz y Carbón 1369 Teruel, Aragon 54 / 60 (†77) Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Aragon. Western Schism. In opposition to Martin V.
1424 –
1429
Antipope Benedict XIV Bernard Garnier France Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Two antipope claimants
1430 –
1437
Antipope Benedict XIV Jean Carrier France Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. Two antipope claimants
207
Coat of arms of Pope Eugene IV.svg
3 March 1431 –
23 February 1447
(15 years, 357 days)
PapstEugen.jpg Eugene IV
EVGENIVS Quartus
Gabriele Condulmer, O.S.A. 1383 Venice, Republic of Venice 47 / 63 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Venice. Member of the Augustinian Order. Nephew of Gregory XII. Crowned Emperor Sigismund at Rome in 1433. Transferred the Council of Basel to Ferrara. It was later transferred again, to Florence, because of the Bubonic plague. Issued the bull "Creator Omnium", rescinding any recognition of Portugal's right to conquer those islands, still pagan. He excommunicated anyone who enslaved newly converted Christians, the penalty to stand until the captives were restored to their liberty and possessions

Coat of Arms of Amadeus VIII, Duke of Savoy as Antipope Felix V.svg
5 November 1439 –
7 April 1449
(9 years, 153 days)
Portrait of Antipope Felix V.jpg Felix V
FELIX Quintus
Amadeus 4 September 1383 Chambéry, France 56 / 65 (†67) Born as a subject of the Kingdom of France. In opposition to Eugene IV and Nicholas V. Also ruled as count of Savoy.
208
C o a Nicolaus V.svg
6 March 1447 –
24 March 1455
(8 years, 18 days)
Paus Nicolaas V door Peter Paul Rubens.jpg Nicholas V
NICOLAVS Quintus
Tommaso Parentucelli 13 November 1397 Sarzana, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 49 / 57 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Held the Jubilee of 1450. Crowned Emperor Frederick III at Rome (1452). Issued the bull Dum Diversas allowing Portugal's right to conquer and subjugate Saracens and pagans (1452). Created a library in the Vatican which would eventually become the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana.
209
Coat of Arms of Pope Callixtus III.svg
8 April 1455 –
6 August 1458
(3 years, 120 days)
Pope Callixtus III Siena (cropped).jpg Callixtus III
CALLISTVS Tertius
Alfonso de Borja 31 December 1378 Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, Crown of Aragon 76 / 79 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Valencia (and therefore subject to the monarch of the Crown of Aragon). The first Spanish (Valencian) pope. Ordered the Feast of the Transfiguration to be celebrated on 6 August. Ordered the retrial of Joan of Arc, in which she was vindicated. Appointed two nephews as cardinals, one of whom became Pope Alexander VI.
210
C o a Pio II.svg
19 August 1458 –
15 August 1464
(5 years, 362 days)
Pintoricchio 012.jpg Pius II
PIVS Secundus
Enea Silvio Piccolomini 18 October 1405 Corsignano, Republic of Siena, Holy Roman Empire 52 / 58 Citizen of the Republic of Siena. Displayed a great interest in urban planning. Founded Pienza near Siena as the ideal city in 1462. Known for his work on the Commentaries.
211
Coat of arms of Pope Paul II (flat).svg
30 August 1464 –
26 July 1471
(6 years, 330 days)
Pietrobarbo.jpg Paul II
PAVLVS Secundus
Pietro Barbo 23 February 1417 Venice, Republic of Venice 47 / 54 Citizen of the Republic of Venice. The nephew of Eugene IV. Built the Palazzo San Marco (now Palazzo Venezia). Approved the introduction of printing in the Papal States.
212
CoA della Rovere popes.svg
9 August 1471 –
12 August 1484
(13 years, 3 days)
Joos Van Wassenhove e Pedro Berruguete – Sixtus Papa IV, Louvre.jpg Sixtus IV
SYXTVS Quartus
Francesco della Rovere, O.F.M. 21 July 1414 Celle Ligure, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 57 / 70 Citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Member of the Franciscan Order. Commissioned the Sistine Chapel and created the Vatican Archives. Authorized the Spanish Inquisition targeting converted Jewish Christians in Spain at the request of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. A patron of the arts, he brought together the group of artists who ushered the Early Renaissance into Rome with the first masterpieces of the city's new artistic age. Noted for his nepotism and involved in the Pazzi conspiracy.
213
C o a Innocenzo VIII.svg
29 August 1484 –
25 July 1492
(7 years, 331 days)
Niccolò di forzore spinelli, medaglia di innocenzo viii 01.JPG Innocent VIII
INNOCENTIVS Octavus
Giovanni Battista Cybo 1432 Genoa, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 51 / 59 Citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Appointed Tomás de Torquemada. Endorsed the prosecution of witchcraft in the bull Summis desiderantes affectibus (1484).
214
C o a Alessandro VI.svg
11 August 1492
18 August 1503
(11 years, 7 days)
Pope Alexander Vi.jpg Alexander VI
ALEXANDER Sextus
Roderic Llançol i de Borja 1 January 1431 Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, Crown of Aragon 61 / 72 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Valencia (and therefore subject to the monarch of the Crown of Aragon). Spanish (Valencian); Nephew of Callixtus III; father to Cesare Borgia and Lucrezia Borgia. Divided the extra-European world between Spain and Portugal in the bull Inter caetera (1493). His Italianized Valencian surname, Borgia, became a byword for libertinism and nepotism, which are traditionally considered as characterizing his pontificate

16th century

Popes of the 16th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
215
C o a Pio II.svg
22 September 1503
18 October 1503
(26 days)
PiusIII.jpg Pius III
PIVS Tertius
Francesco Todeschini Piccolomini 29 May 1439 Siena, Republic of Siena, Holy Roman Empire 64 / 64 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Siena. Nephew of Pius II. Founded the Piccolomini Library in the Siena Cathedral.
216
CoA della Rovere popes.svg
31 October 1503
21 February 1513
(9 years, 113 days)
Pope Julius II.jpg Julius II
IVLIVS Secundus
Giuliano della Rovere, O.F.M. 5 December 1443 Albisola, Republic of Genoa, Holy Roman Empire 59 / 69 Born as a citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Nicknamed the 'Warrior Pope' or the 'Fearsome Pope'. Nephew of Sixtus IV; convened the Fifth Council of the Lateran (1512). Took control of all the Papal States for the first time. Became Pope in the context of the Italian Wars, a period in which the major powers of Europe fought for primacy in the Italian peninsula. Established the Vatican Museums and initiated the rebuilding of the St. Peter's Basilica. The same year he organized the famous Swiss Guard for his personal protection and commanded a successful campaign in Romagna against local lords. The interests of Julius II lay also in the New World as he ratified the Treaty of Tordesillas, establishing the first bishoprics in the Americas and beginning the catholicization of Latin America. In 1508, he commissioned the Raphael Rooms and Michelangelo's paintings in the Sistine Chapel.

Julius II was described by Machiavelli in his works as the ideal prince. Pope Julius II allowed people seeking indulgences to donate money to the Church which would be used for the construction of Saint Peter's Basilica.

217
Medici popes.svg
9 March 1513 –
1 December 1521
(8 years, 267 days)
Raffael 040 (crop).jpg Leo X
LEO Decimus
Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici 11 December 1475 Florence, Republic of Florence, Holy Roman Empire 37 / 45 Citizen of the Republic of Florence. Son of Lorenzo the Magnificent. Closed the Fifth Council of the Lateran. Remembered for granting indulgences to those who donated to rebuild St. Peter's Basilica; excommunicated Martin Luther (1521). Extended the Spanish Inquisition into Portugal. Borrowed and spent money without circumspection and was a significant patron of the arts. Under his reign, progress was made on the rebuilding of St. Peter's Basilica and artists such as Raphael decorated the Vatican rooms. Leo also reorganized the Roman University, and promoted the study of literature, poetry and antiquities. The last pope to not have been in priestly orders at the time of his election to the papacy.
218
C o a Adriano VI.svg
9 January 1522 –
14 September 1523
(1 year, 248 days)
Portrait of Pope Adrian VI (by Jan van Scorel).jpg Adrian VI
HADRIANVS Sextus
Aryaen Floriszoon Boeyens 2 March 1459 Utrecht, Bishopric of Utrecht, Holy Roman Empire (now Netherlands) 62 / 64 Motto: Patere et sustine ("Respect and wait")

Born as a subject of the Bishopric of Utrecht. The only Dutch pope; last non-Italian to be elected pope until John Paul II in 1978. Tutor of Emperor Charles V. Came to the papacy in the midst of one of its greatest crises, threatened not only by Lutheranism to the north but also by the advance of the Ottoman Turks to the east. He refused to compromise with Lutheranism theologically, demanding Luther's condemnation as a heretic. However, he is noted for having attempted to reform the Catholic Church administratively in response to the Protestant Reformation. Adrian's remarkable admission that the turmoil of the Church was the fault of the Roman Curia itself was read at the 1522–1523 Diet of Nuremberg.

His efforts at reform, however, proved fruitless, as they were resisted by most of his Renaissance ecclesiastical contemporaries, and he did not live long enough to see his efforts through to their conclusion.

219
Medici popes.svg
26 November 1523 –
25 September 1534
(10 years, 303 days)
Sebastiano del Piombo (Italian) - Pope Clement VII - Google Art Project.jpg Clement VII
CLEMENS Septimus
Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici 26 May 1478 Florence, Republic of Florence, Holy Roman Empire 45 / 56 Motto: Candor illæsus ("Unharmed candor")

Citizen of the Republic of Florence. Cousin of Leo X. Rome sacked by imperial troops (1527). Forbade the divorce of Henry VIII; crowned Charles V as emperor at Bologna (1530). Commissioned Michelangelo's painting of The Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel (1533). Approved Copernicus' heliocentric universe theory (1533). However Copernicus made very few astronomical observations and based his new model squarely on his mathematical calculations. Natural philosophers of that time (professionals who began to be called scientists only in the 19th century) noted that if the earth rotated there would be observable Coriolis effects. Secondly, a revolving earth would imply a stellar parallax. Given that neither of these effects were observed at the time (would be observed decades later) , Corpenico's model still did not proved heliocentrism.

The niece of the pope was married to the future Henry II of France (1533). Recognized the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (Capuchins).

220
C o a Paulo III.svg
13 October 1534 –
10 November 1549
(15 years, 28 days)
Portrait of Pope Paul III Farnese (by Titian) - National Museum of Capodimonte.jpg Paul III
PAVLVS Tertius
Alessandro Farnese 29 February 1468 Canino, Lazio, Papal States 66 / 81 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Opened the Council of Trent (1545). His illegitimate son became the first duke of Parma. Decreed the second and final excommunication of King Henry VIII of England. Appointed Michelangelo to supervise construction of St. Peter's Basilica (1546). Recognized the Order of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).
221
C o a Giulio III.svg
7 February 1550 –
29 March 1555
(5 years, 50 days)
Girolamo Sicciolante - Paus Julius III.jpg Julius III
IVLIVS Tertius
Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte 10 September 1487 Rome, Lazio, Papal States 62 / 67 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Established the Collegium Germanicum (1552). Reconvened the Council of Trent. The Innocenzo Scandal.
222
C o a Marcello II.svg
9 April 1555 –
1 May 1555
(22 days)
Portrait of Pope Marcellus II Cervini (Vatican Museums - Musei Vaticani, Vatican).jpg Marcellus II
MARCELLVS Secundus
Marcello Cervini degli Spannochi 6 May 1501 Montefano, Marche, Papal States 53 / 53 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. The last to use his birth name as the regnal name. Instituted immediate economies in Vatican expenditures. The Missa Papae Marcelli composed in his honour.
223
C o a Paulo IV.svg
23 May 1555 –
18 August 1559
(4 years, 87 days)
Pope_Paul_IV_–_Jacopino_Conte_(Manner),_ca._1560 Paul IV
PAVLVS Quartus
Giovanni Pietro Carafa, C.R. 28 June 1476 Capriglia Irpina, Campania, Kingdom of Naples 78 / 83 Motto: Dominus mihi adjutor ("The Lord is my helper")

Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Member of the Theatines. Established the Roman Ghetto in Cum Nimis Absurdum (1555) and established the Index of Forbidden Books. Ordered Michelangelo to repaint the nudes of The Last Judgment modestly.

224
Medici popes.svg
26 December 1559 –
9 December 1565
(5 years, 348 days)
Portrait of Pope Pius IV, three-quarter-length, seated at a draped table (Circle of Scipione Pulzone).jpg Pius IV
PIVS Quartus
Giovanni Angelo Medici 31 March 1499 Milan, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 60 / 66 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Milan. Reopened and closed the Council of Trent. Ordered public construction to improve the water supply of Rome. Instituted the Tridentine Creed.
225
C o a Pio V.svg
7 January 1566 –
1 May 1572
(6 years, 115 days)
El Greco 050.jpg St Pius V
PIVS Quintus
Antonio Ghislieri, O.P. 17 January 1504 Bosco, Piedmont, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 61 / 68 Motto: Utinam dirigantur viæ meæ ad custodiendas ("O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes")

Born as a subject of the Duchy of Milan. Member of the Dominican Order. Excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I of England (1570). Battle of Lepanto (1571); instituted the feast of Our Lady of Victory. Issued the 1570 Roman Missal.

226
C o a Gregorio XIII.svg
13 May 1572 –
10 April 1585
(12 years, 332 days)
Pope Gregory XIII portrait.jpg Gregory XIII
GREGORIVS Tertius Decimus
Ugo Boncompagni 7 January 1502 Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Papal States 70 / 83 Motto: Aperuit et clausit ("Opened and closed")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Reformed the calendar (1582); built the Gregorian Chapel in the Vatican. The first pope to bestow the Immaculate Conception as patroness to the Philippine Islands through the bull Ilius Fulti Præsido (1579). Strengthened diplomatic ties with Asian nations.

227
C o a Sisto V.svg
24 April 1585 –
27 August 1590
(5 years, 125 days)
Sixtus V.PNG Sixtus V
SYXTVS Quintus
Felice Peretti di Montalto, O.F.M. Conv. 13 December 1521 Grottammare, Marche, Papal States 63 / 68 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Conventual Franciscan Order. Known for fixing and completing building works to major basilicas in Rome. Limited the College of Cardinals to 70 in number; doubled the number of curial congregations.
228
C o a Urbano VII.svg
15 September 1590 –
27 September 1590
(12 days)
Papa Urbano VII (Pope Urban VII).jpg Urban VII
VRBANVS Septimus
Giovanni Battista Castagna 4 August 1521 Rome, Lazio, Papal States 69 / 69 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Supported by the Spanish. Shortest-reigning pope; died before coronation. Set the first known worldwide smoking ban, banning smoking in and near all churches.
229
C o a Gregorio XIV.svg
5 December 1590 –
16 October 1591
(315 days)
GregorioPPXVI.jpg Gregory XIV
GREGORIVS Quartus Decimus
Niccolò Sfondrati 11 February 1535 Somma Lombardo, Lombardy, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 55 / 56 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Milan. Made gambling on papal elections punishable by excommunication.
230
C o a Innocenzo IX.svg
29 October 1591 –
30 December 1591
(62 days)
Innocent9.jpg Innocent IX
INNOCENTIVS Nonus
Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti 20 July 1519 Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Papal States 72 / 72 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Supported the cause of King Philip II of Spain and the Catholic League against King Henry IV of France in the French Wars of Religion. Prohibited the alienation of church property.
231
C o a Clemente VIII.svg
30 January 1592 –
3 March 1605
(13 years, 32 days)
Papst Clemens VIII Italian 17th century.jpg Clement VIII
CLEMENS Octavus
Ippolito Aldobrandini 24 February 1536 Fano, Marche, Papal States 55 / 69 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Initiated an alliance of European Christian powers to partake in the war with the Ottoman Empire known as The Long War (1595). Convened the Congregatio de Auxiliis which addressed doctrinal disputes between the Dominicans and Jesuits regarding free will and divine grace.

17th century

Popes of the 17th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
232
Medici popes.svg
1 April 1605 –
27 April 1605
(26 days)
Leo XI 2.jpg Leo XI
LEO Undecimus
Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici 2 June 1535 Florence, Duchy of Florence, Holy Roman Empire 69 / 69 Born as a subject of the Duchy of Florence. The great-nephew of Leo X. Called "Papa Lampo" (Lightning Pope) for his brief pontificate.
233
C o a Paulo V.svg
16 May 1605 –
28 January 1621
(15 years, 257 days)
Pope Paul V.jpg Paul V
PAVLVS Quintus
Camillo Borghese 17 September 1550 Rome, Lazio, Papal States 52 / 68 Motto: Absit nisi in te gloriari ("May it be absent, except to glory in you")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Known for various building projects which included the facade of St Peter's Basilica. Established the Bank of the Holy Spirit (1605); restored the Aqua Traiana.

During his pontificate Galileo's scientific contributions caused difficulties for theologians and natural philosophers of the time, as they contradicted scientific and philosophical ideas based on those of Aristotle and Ptolemy and closely associated with the Catholic Church at that time.

Not all Catholic priests at the time were against Galileo's discoveries. Christoph Grienberger, one of the Jesuit scholars, was sympathetic to Galileo's theories, but was invited to defend the Aristotelian point of view by Claudio Acquaviva, the Jesuits' Father General.

Not all scientists at the time supported Galileo. Opposition from Tycho Brahe and others arose from the fact that, if heliocentrism were true, an annual stellar parallax should be observed, although no such evidence existed at the time. (Only in 1838 was Friedrich Bessel able to accurately observe it.) Galileo's arguments – based on sunspots and the action of tides – were flawed and were refuted and rejected by other scholars at the time.

234
C o a Gregorio XV.svg
9 February 1621 –
8 July 1623
(2 years, 149 days)
Pope Gregory XV.jpg Gregory XV
GREGORIVS Quintus Decimus
Alessandro Ludovisi 9 January 1554 Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Papal States 67 / 69 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Established the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (1622). Issued the bull Aeterni Patris (1621) which imposed conclaves to be by secret ballot. Issued the constitution Omnipotentis Dei against magicians and witches (1623).
235
C o a Urbanus VIII.svg
6 August 1623 –
29 July 1644
(20 years, 358 days)
Gian Lorenzo Bernini - Portrait d'Urbain VIII.jpg Urban VIII
VRBANVS Octavus
Maffeo Barberini 5 April 1568 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 55 / 76 Born as a subject of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Trial against Galileo Galilei. The last pope to expand papal territory by force of arms. Issued a 1624 bill that made the use of tobacco in holy places punishable by excommunication.
236
C o a Innocenzo X.svg
15 September 1644 –
7 January 1655
(10 years, 114 days)
Retrato del Papa Inocencio X. Roma, by Diego Velázquez.jpg Innocent X
INNOCENTIVS Decimus
Giovanni Battista Pamphilj 6 May 1574 Rome, Lazio, Papal States 70 / 80 Motto: Alleviatæ sunt aquæ super terram ("Water on earth")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. The great-great-great-grandson of Alexander VI. Erected the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Navona. Promulgated the apostolic constitution Cum occasione (1653) which condemned five doctrines of Jansenism as heresy.

237
C o a Alessandro VII.svg
7 April 1655 –
22 May 1667
(12 years, 45 days)
Portrait of Pope Alexander VII Chigi (by Giovanni Battista Gaulli - Baciccio).jpg Alexander VII
ALEXANDER Septimus
Fabio Chigi 13 February 1599 Siena, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 56 / 68 Born as a subject of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Great-nephew of Paul V. Commissioned St. Peter's Square. Issued the constitution Sollicitudo Omnium Ecclesiarum that set the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception almost identical to that of Pius IX centuries later.
238
C o a Clemente IX.svg
20 June 1667 –
9 December 1669
(2 years, 172 days)
Portrait of Pope Clement IX, by Carlo Maratti (or Maratta) - Hermitage Museum.jpg Clement IX
CLEMENS Nonus
Giulio Rospigliosi 28 January 1600 Pistoia, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Holy Roman Empire 67 / 69 Motto: Aliis non sibi Clemens ("Clement to others, not to himself")

Born as a subject of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Mediated in the peace of Aachen (1668).

239
C o a Clemente X.svg
29 April 1670 –
22 July 1676
(6 years, 84 days)
Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Il Baciccio) - Pope Clement X (1590–1676) - 2017.422 - Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg Clement X
CLEMENS Decimus
Emilio Bonaventura Altieri 13 July 1590 Rome, Lazio, Papal States 79 / 86 Motto: Bonum auget malum minuit ("He increases good and diminishes evil")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Canonized the first saint from the Americas: St. Rose of Lima (1671). Decorated the bridge of Sant' Angelo with the ten statues of angels and added one of the two fountains that adorn the piazza of St. Peter's. Established regulations for the removal of relics of saints from cemeteries.

240
C o a Innocenzo XI.svg
21 September 1676 –
12 August 1689
(12 years, 325 days)
Jacob Ferdinand Voet - Portrait of Innocenzo XI Odescalchi (cropped).jpeg Bl. Innocent XI
INNOCENTIVS Undecimus
Benedetto Odescalchi 16 May 1611 Como, Lombardy, Duchy of Milan, Holy Roman Empire 65 / 78 Motto: Avarus non Implebitur ("The covetous man is not satisfied")

Born as a subject of the Duchy of Milan. Condemned the doctrine of mental reservation (1679) and initiated the Holy League. Extended the Holy Name of Mary as a universal feast (1684). Admired for positive contributions to catechesis. During his pontificate Isaac Newton published the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which placed heliocentrism on a firm theoretical foundation.

241
C o a Alessandro VIII.svg
6 October 1689 –
1 February 1691
(1 year, 118 days)
Portrait of Pope Alexander VIII – Roman School of 17th Century – (unframed).jpg Alexander VIII
ALEXANDER Octavus
Pietro Vito Ottoboni 22 April 1610 Venice, Republic of Venice 79 / 80 Citizen of the Republic of Venice. Condemned the so-called philosophical sin (1690).
242
C o a Innocenzo XII.svg
12 July 1691 –
27 September 1700
(9 years, 77 days)
Pope Innocent XII.PNG Innocent XII
INNOCENTIVS Duodecimus
Antonio Pignatelli, O.F.S 13 March 1615 Spinazzola, Apulia, Kingdom of Naples 76 / 85 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Issued the bull Romanum decet Pontificem to stop nepotism (1692). Erected various charitable and educational institutions.

18th century

Popes of the 18th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
243
C o a Clemente XI.svg
23 November 1700 –
19 March 1721
(20 years, 116 days)
Ritratto di Clemente XI.jpg Clement XI
CLEMENS Undecimus
Giovanni Francesco Albani 23 July 1649 Urbino, Marche, Papal States 51 / 71 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. The Chinese Rites controversy. Patronized the first archaeological excavations in the Roman catacombs. The Inquisition's ban on reprinting Galileo's works was lifted in 1718 when permission was granted to publish an edition of his works (excluding the condemned Dialogue) in Florence.
244
C o a Innocenzo XIII.svg
8 May 1721 –
7 March 1724
(2 years, 304 days)
InnocientXIII.jpg Innocent XIII
INNOCENTIVS Tertius Decimus
Michelangelo dei Conti 13 May 1655 Poli, Lazio, Papal States 65 / 68 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Prohibited the Jesuits from prosecuting their mission in China ordering that no new members should be received into the order. Issued the papal bull Apostolici Ministerii (1724) to revive ecclesiastical discipline in Spain.
245
C o a Benedetto XIII.svg
29 May 1724 –
21 February 1730
(5 years, 268 days)
Benedetto XIII.jpg Servant of God Benedict XIII
BENEDICTVS Tertius Decimus
Pietro Francesco Orsini, O.P. 2 February 1649 Gravina in Puglia, Bari, Kingdom of Naples 75 / 81 Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Naples. Member of the Dominican Order; third and last member of the Orsini family to be pope. Originally called Benedict XIV due to the antipope but reverted to XIII. Repealed the worldwide tobacco smoking ban set by Urban VII and Urban VIII. During his pontificate James Bradley discovered the stellar aberration, proving the relative motion of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun.
246
C o a Clemente XII.svg
12 July 1730 –
6 February 1740
(9 years, 209 days)
Agostino Masucci – Portrait of Pope Clement XII, seated.jpg Clement XII
CLEMENS Duodecimus
Lorenzo Corsini, O.F.S 7 April 1652 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany 78 / 87 Motto: Dabis discernere inter malum et bonum ("You shall deign to distinguish between good and evil")

Born as a subject of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Completed the new façade of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (1735). Commissioned the Trevi Fountain in Rome (1732). Condemned Freemasonry in In eminenti apostolatus (1738).

247
C o a Benedetto XIV.svg
17 August 1740 –
3 May 1758
(17 years, 259 days)
Benoit XIV.jpg Benedict XIV
BENEDICTVS Quartus Decimus
Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini 31 March 1675 Bologna, Papal States 65 / 83 Motto: Curabuntur omnes ("All will be healed")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Reformed the education of priests and the calendar of feasts. Completed the Trevi Fountain and affirmed the teachings of Thomas Aquinas; founded academies of art, religion and science. Authorized the publication of an edition of Galileo's complete scientific works which included a mildly censored version of the Dialogue.

248
C o a Clemente XIII.svg
6 July 1758 –
2 February 1769
(10 years, 211 days)
Anton Raphael Mengs (1728-1779) - Portret van paus Clemens XIII (1758) - Bologna Pinacoteca Nazionale - 26-04-2012 9-53-03.jpg Clement XIII
CLEMENS Tertius Decimus
Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico 7 March 1693 Venice, Republic of Venice 65 / 75 Citizen of the Republic of Venice. Defended the Society of Jesus in "Apostolicum pascendi" (1765). During his pontificate (or at the end of his predecessor's pontificate), the general prohibition against works advocating heliocentrism was removed from the Index of prohibited books, although the specific ban on uncensored versions of the Dialogue and Copernicus's De Revolutionibus remained.
249
C o a Clemente XIV.svg
19 May 1769 –
22 September 1774
(5 years, 126 days)
Clement XIV.jpg Clement XIV
CLEMENS Quartus Decimus
Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, O.F.M. Conv. 31 October 1705 Sant'
Arcangelo di Romagna, Papal States
63 / 68 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Conventual Franciscan Order. Suppressed the Society of Jesus in the brief "Dominus ac Redemptor" (1773).
250
C o a Pio VI.svg
15 February 1775 –
29 August 1799
(24 years, 195 days)
Pompeo Batoni - Ritratto di Papa Pio VI (National Gallery of Ireland).jpg Pius VI
PIVS Sextus
Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi 25 December 1717 Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Papal States 57 / 81 Motto: Floret in domo domini ("It blossoms in the house of God")

Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Condemned the French Revolution; expelled from the Papal States by French troops from 1798 until his death. The last pope to be a patron of Renaissance art.

During his pontificate, the astronomer William Herschel, studying the movement of stars, was the first to realize that the Solar System is moving in space, and determined the approximate direction of movement. Also discovered that the Milky Way (which in the late 18th century was believed to be the entire Universe) is flat, disk-shaped and with the Sun at its center (assertion discovered to be wrong decades later, because today it is known that the Sun is not located in the Galactic Center).

29 August 1799 –
14 March 1800
(197 days)
Sede vacante.svg Interregnum Six-month period without a valid pope elected. This was due to unique logistical problems (the old pope died a prisoner and the conclave was in Venice) and a deadlock among cardinals voting.

19th century

Popes of the 19th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
251
C o a Pio VII.svg
14 March 1800 –
20 August 1823
(23 years, 159 days)
Jacques-Louis David 018.jpg Servant of God Pius VII
PIVS Septimus
Count Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, O.S.B. 14 August 1742 Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Papal States 57 / 81 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Member of the Order of Saint Benedict. Present at Napoleon's coronation as emperor of the French. Expelled from the Papal States by the French between 1809 and 1814.
252
C o a Leone XII.svg
28 September 1823 –
10 February 1829
(5 years, 135 days)
Pope Leo XII.PNG Leo XII
LEO Duodecimus
Count Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola Sermattei della Genga 22 August 1760 Genga, Marche, Papal States 63 / 68 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Placed the Catholic educational system under the control of the Jesuits through Quod divina sapientia (1824). Condemned the Bible societies.
253
C o a Pio VIII.svg
31 March 1829 –
30 November 1830
(1 year, 244 days)
Clemente Alberi – Ritratto di papa Pio VIII (c. 1830).jpg Pius VIII
PIVS Octavus
Francesco Saverio Castiglioni 20 November 1761 Cingoli, Marche, Papal States 67 / 69 Subject and later the sovereign of the Papal States. Accepted Louis Philippe I as king of the French. Condemned the masonic secret societies and modernist biblical translations in the brief Litteris altero (1830).
254
C o a Gregorio XVI.svg
2 February 1831 –
1 June 1846
(15 years, 119 days)
Gregory XVI.jpg Gregory XVI
GREGORIVS Sextus Decimus
Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, O.S.B. Cam. 18 September 1765 Belluno, Veneto, Republic of Venice 65 / 80 Citizen of the Republic of Venice. Member of the Camaldolese; last non-bishop to be elected to the papacy. Politically opposed democratic and modernising reforms in the Papal States. Regarding scientific thinking, all traces of official opposition to heliocentrism by the church disappeared in 1835 when the uncensored versions of Dialogue and De Revolutionibus were finally dropped from the Index.
255
Pio Nono.svg
16 June 1846 –
7 February 1878
(31 years, 236 days)
Popepiusix.jpg Bl. Pius IX
PIVS Nonus
Count Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, O.F.S. 13 May 1792 Senigallia, Marche, Papal States 54 / 85 Subject and later the last sovereign of the Papal States, becoming an Italian citizen. Opened the First Vatican Council; lost the Papal States to Italy. Defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and defined papal infallibility. Issued the controversial Syllabus of Errors. Longest-serving pope since Peter (c. AD 30–64).

During his pontificate the Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel published the Experiments on Plant Hybridization and Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. At time no high-level Church pronouncement has ever attacked head-on the theory of evolution as applied to non-human species

Even before the development of modern scientific method, Catholic theology had allowed for biblical text to be read as allegorical, rather than literal, where it appeared to contradict that which could be established by science or reason. Thus Catholicism has been able to refine its understanding of scripture in light of scientific discovery.

256
C o a Leone XIII.svg
20 February 1878 –
20 July 1903
(25 years, 150 days)
Papa Leone XIII (1898).jpg Leo XIII
LEO Tertius Decimus
Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, O.F.S. 2 March 1810 Carpineto Romano, Lazio, French Empire 67 / 93 Motto: Lumen in coelo ("Light in Heaven")
Born as a French citizen, of Italian ethnicity, later became a subject of the Papal States and finally an Italian citizen. Issued the encyclical Rerum novarum; supported Christian democracy against Communism. Had the third-longest reign after Pius IX, and John Paul II. Promoted the rosary and the scapular and approved two new Marian scapulars; first pope to fully embrace the concept of Mary as mediatrix.

First Pope to be filmed by a motion picture camera and the first pope with voice recorded.

20th century

Popes of the 20th century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
257
Coat of arms of Pope Pius X.svg
4 August 1903 –
20 August 1914
(11 years, 16 days)
His Holiness Pope St. Pius X – edited.jpg St Pius X
PIVS Decimus
Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto 2 June 1835 Riese, Treviso, Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia 68 / 79 Motto: Instaurare Omnia in Christo ("Restore all things in Christ")

Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, later became an Italian citizen. Encouraged and expanded reception of the Eucharist. Combatted Modernism; issued the oath against it. Advocated the Gregorian Chant and reformed the Roman Breviary.

258
CoA Benedetto XV.svg
3 September 1914 –
22 January 1922
(7 years, 141 days)
Benedictus XV, by Nicola Perscheid, 1915 (retouched).jpg Benedict XV
BENEDICTVS Quintus Decimus
Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista Della Chiesa 21 November 1854 Pegli, Genoa, Kingdom of Sardinia 59 / 67 Motto: In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum. ("In thee, o Lord, have I trusted: let me not be confounded for evermore.")

Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Sardinia, later became an Italian citizen. Credited for intervening for peace during World War I. Issued the 1917 Code of Canon Law; supported the missionaries in Maximum illud. Remembered by Benedict XVI as a "prophet of peace".

259
C o a Pio XI.svg
6 February 1922 –
10 February 1939
(17 years, 4 days)
Pius XI, by Nicola Perscheid (retouched).jpg Pius XI
PIVS Undecimus
Achille Ambrogio Damiano Ratti 31 May 1857 Desio, Milan, Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia 64 / 81 Motto: Pax Christi in Regno Christi ("The Peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ")

Born as a subject of the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, later became an Italian citizen. Signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy (1929) establishing Vatican City as a sovereign state. Inaugurated Vatican Radio (1931). Re-founded the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (1936). Created the feast of Christ the King. Opposed Communism and Nazism.

260
Pius 12 coa.svg
2 March 1939 –
9 October 1958
(19 years, 221 days)
Pius XII with tabard, by Michael Pitcairn, 1951.png Ven. Pius XII
PIVS Duodecimus
Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli 2 March 1876 Rome, Italy 63 / 82 Motto: Opus Justitiae Pax ("The work of justice [shall be] peace")

Italian citizen. Invoked papal infallibility in the encyclical Munificentissimus Deus; defined the dogma of the Assumption. Eliminated the Italian majority of cardinals. Credited with intervening for peace during World War II; controversial for his reactions to the Holocaust. Published the Humani generis, the first encyclical to specifically refer to evolution and took up a neutral position, concentrating on human evolution:

"The Church does not forbid that ... research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter."

261
C o a John XXIII.svg
28 October 1958 –
3 June 1963
(4 years, 218 days)
Ioannes XXIII, by De Agostini, 1958–1963.jpg St John XXIII
IOANNES Vicesimus Tertius
Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli 25 November 1881 Sotto il Monte, Bergamo, Italy 76 / 81 Motto: Obedientia et Pax ("Obedience and peace")

Italian citizen. Opened the Second Vatican Council; called "Good Pope John". Issued the encyclical Pacem in terris (1963) on peace and nuclear disarmament; intervened for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).

262
Coat of Arms of Pope Paul VI.svg
21 June 1963 –
6 August 1978
(15 years, 46 days)
Paulus VI, by Fotografia Felici, 1969.jpg St Paul VI
PAVLVS Sextus
Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini 26 September 1897 Concesio, Brescia, Italy 65 / 80 Motto: Cum Ipso in Monte ("With Him on the mount")

Italian citizen. Last pope to be crowned. First pope since 1809 to travel outside Italy. Closed the Second Vatican Council. Revised the Roman Missal (1969).

263
C o a John Paul I.svg
26 August 1978 –
28 September 1978
(33 days)
Ioannes Paulus I, by Fotografia Felici, 1978 (cropped).jpg Bl. John Paul I
IOANNES PAVLVS Primus
Albino Luciani 17 October 1912 Forno di Canale, Belluno, Italy 65 / 65 Motto: Humilitas ("Humility")

Italian citizen. Abolished the coronation and opted for the papal inauguration. First pope to use 'the First' in papal name; first with two names for two immediate predecessors. Last pope to use the sedia gestatoria.

264
John paul 2 coa.svg
16 October 1978 –
2 April 2005
(26 years, 168 days)
ADAMELLO - PAPA - Giovanni Paolo II - panoramio (cropped).jpg St John Paul II
IOANNES PAVLVS Secundus
Karol Józef Wojtyła 18 May 1920 Wadowice, Poland 58 / 84 Motto: Totus Tuus ("Totally yours")

Polish citizen, first pope of Slavic origin. First non-Italian pope since Adrian VI (1522–1523). Travelled extensively, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. Second-longest reign after Pius IX. Founded World Youth Day (1984) and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (1994). Canonized more saints than all his predecessors. Youngest individual to start his papacy since Pius IX (1846).

3rd millennium

21st century

Popes of the 21st century
Pontiff
number
Pontificate Portrait Name: English
· Latin
Personal name Date and Place of birth Age at start/
end of papacy
Notes
265
Coat of arms of Pope Benedict XVI
19 April 2005 –
28 February 2013
(7 years, 315 days)
Photograph of Pope Benedict XVI Benedict XVI
BENEDICTVS Sextus Decimus
Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger 16 April 1927
Marktl, Bavaria, Germany
78 / 85 (†95) Motto: Cooperatores Veritatis ("Cooperators of the truth")

German citizen. Oldest to become pope since Clement XII (1730). Elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position and promoted the use of Latin; re-introduced several disused papal garments. Authorized the creation of Anglican ordinariates (2009). First pope to renounce the papacy on his own initiative since Celestine V (1294), becoming pope emeritus. Longest-lived pope on record. Died on 31 December 2022, in Vatican.

266
Coat of arms of Pope Francis
13 March 2013 –
present
(11 years, 278 days)
Photograph of Pope Francis Francis
FRANCISCVS
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J. (1936-12-17) 17 December 1936 (age 87) Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina 76 Motto: Miserando atque Eligendo ("Lowly but chosen", literally 'by having mercy, by choosing him')

Argentine citizen. First pope to be born outside Europe since Gregory III (731–741) and the first from the Americas; first pope from the Southern Hemisphere. First pope from a religious institute since Gregory XVI (1831–1846); first Jesuit pope. First to use a new and non-composed regnal name since Lando (913–914). First pope to visit and celebrate a mass on the Arabian Peninsula.

Religious orders

51 popes and 6 antipopes (in italics) have been members of religious orders, including 12 members of third orders. They are listed by order as follows:

Family Order Number Percentage Popes Total Percentage of all popes
Augustinians Order of Saint Augustine 1 1.75% Eugene IV 6 2.26%
Canons Regular 4 7.02% Honorius II, Innocent II, Lucius II, Adrian IV
Premonstratense 1 1.75% Gregory VIII
Benedictines Order of Saint Benedict 22 38.6% Gregory I, Boniface IV, Adeodatus II, Leo IV, John IX, Leo VII, John XVI, Sylvester II, Sergius IV, Stephen IX, Gregory VII, Victor III, Urban II, Paschal II, Adalbert, Gelasius II, Anacletus II, Callixtus III, Celestine V, Clement VI, Urban V, Pius VII 23 8.65%
Camaldolese 1 1.75% Gregory XVI
Cistercians 2 3.51% Eugene III, Benedict XII 2 0.75%
Dominicans 7 12.28% Innocent V, Benedict XI, Nicholas V, Pius V, Benedict XIII, Benedict XV 7 2.63%
Franciscans Order of Friars Minor 5 8.77% Nicholas IV, Nicholas V, Alexander V, Sixtus IV, Julius II 17 6.39%
Order of Friars Minor Conventual 2 3.51% Sixtus V, Clement XIV
Secular Franciscan Order 10 17.54% Gregory IX, Gregory X, Martin V, Innocent XII, Clement XII, Pius IX, Leo XIII, Pius X, Pius XI, John XXIII
Jesuits 1 1.75% Francis 1 0.38%
Theatines 1 1.75% Paul IV 1 0.38%
Total 57 57

Numbering of popes

Regnal numbers follow the usual convention for European monarchs. The first pope who chooses a unique name is not usually identified by an ordinal, John Paul I being the exception. Antipopes are treated as pretenders, and their numbers are reused by those considered to be legitimate popes. However, there are anomalies in the numbering of the popes. Several numbers were mistakenly increased in the Middle Ages because the records were misunderstood. Several antipopes were also kept in the sequence, either by mistake or because they were previously considered to be true popes.

  • Alexander: Antipope Alexander V (1409–1410) was listed in the Annuario Pontificio as a legitimate pope until the 20th century, when the Pisan popes were reclassified as antipopes. There had already been three more Alexanders by then, so there is now a gap in the numbering sequence.
  • Donus: The name has only been used by one pope. The apocryphal Pope Donus II resulted from confusion between the Latin word dominus (lord) and the name Donus.
  • Felix: Antipope Felix II (356–357) was kept in the numbering sequence.
  • John: The numbering of the Popes John is particularly confused. In the modern sequence, they are identified by the numbers they used during their reigns.
    • Antipope John XVI (997–998) was kept in the numbering sequence.
    • Pope John XXI (1276–1277) chose to skip the number XX, believing that there had been another Pope John between XIV and XV. In reality, John XIV had been counted twice.
    • By the 16th century, the numbering error had been conflated with legends about a female Pope Joan, whom some authors called John VIII. She was never listed in the Annuario Pontificio.
    • Antipope John XXIII (1410–1415) was listed in the Annuario Pontificio as a legitimate pope until the 20th century. After the Pisan popes were classified as antipopes, Pope John XXIII (1958–1963) chose to reuse the number, citing "twenty-two [sic] Johns of indisputable legitimacy."
  • Martin: Pope Martin I (649–655) is followed by Martin IV (1281–1285). Due to the similarity between the Latin names Marinus and Martinus, Marinus I and Marinus II were mistakenly considered to be Martin II and III.
  • Stephen: Pope-elect Stephen (752) died before being consecrated. He was previously known as Stephen II, but the Vatican removed him from the official list of popes in 1961. The remaining Stephens are now numbered Pope Stephen II (752–757) to Pope Stephen IX (1057–1058).

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Papas para niños

  • Annuario Pontificio
  • History of the papacy
  • Index of Vatican City-related articles
  • Legends surrounding the papacy
  • Liber Pontificalis
  • Papal name
  • Papal appointment
  • Pope John (numbering)
  • Prophecy of the Popes

Lists

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